Serpent's Bride
by reiko
Summary: In Ginny's sixth year, Draco saved her life... and that's a wizard's debt. Now, five years later, its payback time. Especially now that Draco is in desperate need of a wife. [COMPLETE]
1. The Condition

Author's Notes: Thanks to all the people who reviewed!!! Whooo!!! I just can't believe i've garnered so many reviews just for the fist chapter. And um... I'm really, really sorry for the grammar errors and things... not very good at that. This is actually the revised edition. And Blaise Zabini does not belong to Cassie. sorry!!! She belongs to JK... so i think this is it... All disclaimers apply... Harry Potter is not mine, this is just for fun, not making money from them... so please don't sue. 

Special thanks to my beta-reader Alli. This chapter is for you, girl!!! 

italized words symbolizes thoughts and memories, ok? :) 

  


Serpent's Bride I: The Condition

  


… Ginny sat impatiently atop her broom waiting for the golden snitch, the undeniable adrenaline rush coursing through her vein. The score was 70 to 60 with Gryffindor leading. She then gazed at Harry just 8 feet above her, flying around and around, no doubt searching for the snitch as well. There was no way she could deny the fact that Harry looked so good when he was flying. His hair, sticking out messily, was being tossed freely by the wind. His green eyes, which was quite visible, looked determined… Ginny flushed and turned away. Well, there that was nothing surprising really. She was Ginny Weasly and Ginny Weasly thought Harry would look good in anything and everything, even if he wore a sack to the Yule Ball. 

"Where's the goddamn snitch?" She heard Colin Creevey yelling. "All we need now is the goddamn snitch!"

"We must win this game." She thought as she watched Dean hitting the bludger, steering it away from Harry, the Gryffindor Seeker. "This is Harry's last year… we must win this game!" She added fervently while scanning the air, yet again, for the snitch. 

And then she saw it, she saw something shining just 7 feet above the goal post. Then two blurry colors, green and red, were zooming towards it. Ginny let out a whoop of excitement upon seeing Harry ahead of Malfoy, the Slytherin Seeker. It was without a doubt that Harry was a better flier than Malfoy. Even the Slytherin team, much to their displeasure, accepted that fact.

Ginny's jaw dropped with amazement when she saw Harry going in for the dive. So sure that Harry would get the snitch, she then prepared to go after him, a new goal set in her mind.

"I should be the first one to congratulate him!" She thought fiercely as she sped towards the goal posts, her red hair playing freely against the wind.

Just then, something hard knocked against her abdomen. She felt her hands going to her stomach, a faint cry of pain coming out of her lips. Losing her grip, with her broom speeding downwards, she let out a terrified scream as she felt herself falling… 

Falling…

Faint cries of alarm… 

Her stomach wrenching with pain…

She closed her eyes…

Waiting… waiting… 

Down… down…

"It won't be long now till I feel the hard ground…" She silently said to herself, the thought of her head being squashed messily on the ground making her sick. "I hope I won't be that gross." She added. She didn't want people to remember her that way, especially Harry, since death was inevitable now. Would Harry cry? Or would he take her body in his arms, even though she was all bloody, and hug her with all his might? Would he even realize that he had loved her all along? Or would he-- 

"Gotcha!"

She slowly opened her eyes to see who broke her fall.

Gray eyes.

Blond hair.

The palest skin.

An arrogant smirk… ooh she knew that smirk anywhere... 

"Too busy watching Potter, huh Weasly?" 

"Huh? Wha—" She stuttered as she felt herself floating again. 

"Didn't notice that buldger now, did you?" he drawled.

He smirked again as Ginny's dark, brown eyes focused. She let out a gasp as she saw Draco Malfoy's cold gray eyes soften.

"Put me down, you git!" She said instantly, wriggling from his grasp. Draco let out a mirthless chuckle as he tightened his grip on her waist, his eyes turning cold once again. 

"We're fifty feet above the ground, Weasly." He said coolly as if she were stupid. "I may be a bastard sometimes but I'm also human, you know. And don't move too much or we'll both fall." 

Realizing Malfoy had a point, Ginny reluctantly stayed still, her face pressed against his chest. She bit her lip as she smelled his cologne… distracting her, making her heady, making her feel— 

"Stop it!" she hissed at herself. She must say something uh… not nice. Anything! Just to get this funny feeling off her.

"Oh, so, now you admit being a bastard." Ginny answered her voice rich with venom. "For that I give you credit."

Draco looked down on her, this time his eyes narrowed evenly. Ginny met his eyes fearlessly, matching him stare for stare. They eyed each other for a moment. One with contempt and the other one with-- then before she knew it, Draco's lips went down on hers. For a moment there, Ginny didn't move. Due Whether it was due to surprise or shock, she didn't know. She blinked once, twice before she felt her eyes closing. He tasted of coffee and cinnamon and spice from breakfast. She took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of his after-shave, the combination of his taste and his scent making her body weak. She was about to respond when she suddenly felt him pulling away. A soft cry of protest came out of her mouth much to her horror.

Draco gave an arrogant chuckle. "You like that, Weasly?" He drawled softly.

"Goddamn you!" She hissed, her anger coming as quickly as it had disappeared. She turned away, her face flushing hotly. Draco gave an amused laugh upon seeing the tints kissing her freckled skin.

"My brothers will kill you for this, Malfoy." She said angrily.

"Oh, I won't bet on it." He answered confidently as he slowly guided his broom down.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that." She answered back testily. She then felt her feet finally touching the ground. Standing up from his broom as well, Draco held her tightly by her arms, steadying her. Looking at her straight in the eyes, he smiled lazily. Ginny, once again, felt the blood rushing to her face. 

"Damn it! Don't blush!" She scolded herself silently.

"Whatever." He replied nonchalantly. Then, his features turning serious, he leaned towards her, his mouth just beside her ear. "You owe me one, little weasel." He whispered.

Ginny shivered upon feeling his lips brushing against her neck. She looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. His voice had been so soft, so silky and so… dangerous. She took a sharp intake of breath as a flash of fear, heat and excitement escalated up and down her spine. 

"That's a wizard's debt, you know." He added. Then tipping his head in the most gentlemanly manner, he stepped back. "I'll see you again, Virginia."

And he was gone.

"He said my name." She thought and was horrified to find herself liking it. It was like a caress, a sensuous touch to her senses. She stood there, not moving, the alarmed and worried cries of her teammates blurring together… fading into nothingness… the pain already forgotten. She watched his disappearing figure, her fingers on her mouth, her lips still tingling… and she hadn't even slapped him!

"He… kissed me."

  
  


"Ginny? Hey, Ginny!"

"Wha-- ?" She stuttered. She looked up only to meet the blue eyes of Selena Malthus peering at her worriedly. "You were saying something?" She asked, blinking.

"Uh… I said that I'll burn this orphanage down to the ground. I'm sorry though, you're my good friend and everything, and considering you yourself built this charitable institution, but really, Ginny…" She replied sarcastically. Ginny raised her eyebrows curiously with the answer, her blank eyes searching Selena's face. Selena rolled her eyes.

"I said we're having problems with our accounts." She repeated with annoyance, bringing her quill once again on to the parchment.

"Oh…" Ginny murmured nodding her head as she peered at the parchment full of numbers. She pretended to be interested as she watched Selena's hand scribbling away furiously.

_"I can't believe I'm still thinking about that again…Damn!"_

"We need additional funds… and um… yeah you're brothers already gave half of their year's earnings, from the joke shop, of course…" her bookkeeper continued without looking up. She reached for her wand and began tapping the numbers one by one.

"After all these years…"

Ginny unconsciously brought her hands to her lips, her thoughts lost once again. She looked out the window, her eyes not seeing anything but the scene five years ago.

"Totaling everything.…" Selena murmured absently, unaware of Ginny's faraway look. "We still need… oh man!" She suddenly exclaimed. "We still need over a hundred thousand galleons to keep our heads afloat, Ginny!"

"Stupid Slytherin prat!"

When Selena didn't hear an answer, she impatiently tapped her friend on the shoulder with her wand. "Are you even listening?" She demanded. Ginny turned away from the office's window, her thoughts shattered.

"What?" She asked blankly.

"I said we still need over a hundred thousand galleons to keep this orphanage running." She reiterated. Then she shook her head. "What has gotten into you anyway?" She asked.

Ginny shook her head. "No, nothing." Selena let out a defeated sigh.

"We need to have get that money as soon as possible." She said bringing her eyes back to the parchment. "With all the debts we have in the bank… Gringgots will be a big problem. Believe me when I say those stupid, heartless goblins won't listen to reason this time."

With that, Ginny paled a little. "You—you mean, they will close us down?" She squeaked.

Selena looked at her, her blue eyes turning cold. "They won't just close us down, Ginny, they will take everything they think is valuable."

"But—but what about the children?" She asked, her brain fully concentrating this time. "They can't do that! I—I love those children, for goodness sake! What about our other sponsors, other donations--- "

"Harry Potter already secured us a quarter of his earnings when Puddlemere United wins and—"

"Just a quarter?" Ginny asked astounded. How could brave, kind, famous and not to mention, rich Harry Potter give only a quarter of his earnings? Ginny was about to retort her displeasure when Selena cut her off.

"He has a son to feed, don't you remember?" She said as if reading her mind. "And besides Quidditch is not doing so well these past few months. With all the muggle economic downfall affecting us and everything, mind you. It was no wonder donations are hard to come by." She sighed.

"I guess you're right." Ginny agreed as she slumped herself tiredly against the couch. She brushed the careless tendrils away from her face as she brought her hands to her temples.

"What should we do then?" Selena asked carefully. Ginny looked at her, her mind furiously thinking. Selena's eyes softened. "I love those children too, Ginny. But I—"

"I'll think of something." She said, standing up and pacing back and forth in the dimly lit office, her robes making fast swishing sounds, her heeled-shoes making quick staccato noises against the stone cold floor. Seeing that, Selena just had to smile.

"She's going to fight it." She thought noticing her quickening pace and the determination in her voice. Ginny could be a fighter if she wanted to, that was's a proven fact. Selena remembered everything as if it was were just yesterday. 

It was a bloody battle. The good against the evil. Harry Potter, together with his loyal friends and supporters, fought and defeated Voldemort and his minions. Serlena shut her eyes momentarily as the gory scenes wheezed inside her mind. Bodies everywhere, the pungent smell of blood lingering in the air… then those children… suddenly orphaned…their parents dying valiantly in the field… Well, although Ginny didn't openly participate in the battlefield, she was a hero in Selena's eyes. Single-handedly, Ginny Weasly put this orphanage up for those children. It had been hard for her, with the chaos around, the ruins, and the physical and emotional healing… But nevertheless, Ginny fought her own battle… and succeeded. 

And now, seeing the look on her face, her brown eyes flashing, her usual smiling lips set in the thin grim line,... Selena's doubts melted. There was just no way that Ms. Virginia Weasly would let this orphanage down. Her face confirmed it all. Selena stood up and straightened the messy desk. "We're going to make it." She thought. 

"I guess its time to use Percy's connections in the Daily Prophet, don't you think?" Ginny suddenly asked, stopping and turning in her direction.

Selena looked up. "What are you planning to do?"

"In muggle terms… advertisement." She said. Before Selena could ask, she quickly stepped out of the office, softly closing the door.

  


==========

  


Draco Malfoy swore softly as he adjusted the silver clasp of his cloak. Beside him, Narcissa Malfoy eyed him with disapproval. Draco just shrugged nonchalantly and continued his fast gait towards the large oak doors of the faintly lit manor.

"Now Draco." His mother said lightly bringing her hand on top of his outstretched hand that was about to turn the enormous knobs. "Remember what we talked about, hmm?"

Draco rolled his silver-gray eyes. "Yes, yes, be polite to the old coot and—"

"Draco." Narcissa began warningly.

Draco looked away and sighed tiredly. "Be polite to Grandfather and do as he says, I know." He said tiredly. Then looking at his mother, he smiled weakly. "You owe me one, mother." He added softly.

Narcissa smiled. "I know Draco." She said. She then stepped back and looked at her son. Her eyes traveled from his brushed-up flaxen hair, to his immaculate white shirt under his black robes, to his heavy black cloak. "You look fine,. lLet's go."

Draco just rolled his eyes while opening the door for her his mother whom, in turn, stepped inside. Following suit, he closed the door softly and made his way inside the gloomy chamber of Vladimir Malfoy II, his grandfather.

His eyes then roamed around the massive chamber so very much like his father's back at the Malfoy Manor. The only difference was that the room was so… dark, so much darker than his father's. He noticed the huge canopied bed on the center with heavy black velvet drapes. And just beside it stood a medium-sized night table cluttered with junks. There was a sturdy desk on the corner just facing the enormous windows. Three bookshelves full of thick volumes were placed just beside the desk. He frowned slightly. 

  
  


Vampires: Now and Then by: Dracul Meirs

999 Blood Recipes by: Angelica Ivanova

The Sun, The Crucifix and the Garlic… Famous Remedies by: Edmund Pillars III 

  
  


He shook his head and decided to ignore the books before him.

"Father?" Narcissa called out softly. 

"Come into the light." A strong voice commanded. 

Draco gritted his teeth. He hated being ordered around. He was half tempted to pull out his wand and illuminate the room, which he knew would definitely annoy the old man very much. But remembering their present situation, he obediently took three steps forward with his mother beside him only to see the pale face of his grandfather before them. 

He was seated on a comfortable looking couch, his chin-length black hair neatly tucked behind his ear, his black-hawk eyes staring at them with cold calculating accuracy. Somehow, Draco can't couldn't believe that this man was a grandfather, HIS grandfather at that. Grandfathers were supposed to be small and rheumatic. They were supposed to smell like ointment or any other stinking balm they used, but with this… THIS man is was giving grandfathers a bad name. 

"Is that the boy, Narcissa?"

"Yes, father." She replied.

"How old is he?"

"Draco just turned 22 last month, father."

Vladimir Malfoy stood up and walked towards him. He is was as tall as Draco, standing 6 feet and 2 inches. He stopped just an arm's length before him, his eyes leveling with Draco's. Draco stared back at him, not saying anything.

"I've heard everything what that happened, boy." He said. 

Draco nodded his head once. "It was most unfortunate, grandfather." He said neutrally. 

Vladimir turned and walked towards his bedside table. He picked up a cigarette, the only muggle thing in the room, and began sticking it in his mouth. He then turned to Draco. "You got a light, boy?" He barked.

Narcissa nudged her son. Draco gritted his teeth, taking his wand from his pocket. He walked towards his grandfather and whispered. 

"Ignus."

Instantly the tip of his wand lit up as a small flame emerged from it. Draco then held his wand to his grandfather. 

"Figures." The old man said, referring to the wand. He lit the stick and began inhaling. "You just don't know what you're missing, boy. This is the best muggle thing there is." He added, exhaling a cloud of smoke at his face.

Draco tried his best not to cough. Vladimir chuckled and paced the room, the heavy fabric of his cloak trailing after his booted feet. 

"It was a good thing you didn't join ol' Riddle." The old man began. 

"I have no desire to take part in anything that has to do with my father." Draco replied curtly. With that, Narcissa gasped and fearfully looked at the old man.

"Draco! He's your father! You could at least respect his death—"

"It's all right, Narcissa." The old man interrupted. Then turning to Draco, he smiled without humor. "I, too, can't believe that wretched son of mine."

Draco nodded his head.

"However, you're becoming equally wretched."

Draco didn't answer back. Vladimir cleared his throat. "When are you planning to settle down, boy? Live up to tradition?"

This time Draco frowned. "I don't understand, grandfather." He said truthfully.

Vladimir nodded his head. "Let me put it this way." He began. "Lucius, my blasted son, spent most of the family fortune I left him for his campaign for Riddle, am I correct?"

Draco nodded his head, his face turning white with anger just remembering that. It was because of his father they were here, facing this—this—old coot!

"And he didn't leave a single cent for you to live on, am I right?"

"Yes, grandfather." Draco said, swallowing hard._ "Is this how it feels to be a Weasly?"_ His mind unconsciously said. 

At that, Vladimir laughed as if reading his mind. "You're not becoming poor, boy!, Iif that's what you're thinking!" He boomed. Then he proceeded to walk towards his desk. With a casual movement of his hands, he opened the drawer and pulled out several yellowed parchments. He threw them at the table, inhaling.

"This is what I was afraid of." He started, as he exhaled a cloud of smoke from his unsmiling lips. "Ever since Lucius became interested in the Dark Arts I knew it would come to this."

Draco just hung his head and said nothing. Narcissa, in turn, placed herself beside her son. Draco could just feel the rising fear and tension within his mother. What were those papers then? Documents stating that they will would be thrown out without a single penny to their name? Documents that Vladimir Malfoy was surrendering his supposed responsibility? Moreover, were there even such documents for that?

He took a deep breath. His grandfather may have been part-vampire, yes. He may have done some serious shits before to wizards and muggles alike, yes. But Draco knew one thing: Vladimir Malfoy would never invest money into something he thought wasn't worth it… and that included the Dark Lord. With that, anger rushed inside him again like a great tidal wave. Curse his father for putting them into a situation like this. He looked at his mother momentarily and resisted the overwhelming desire to put his arms around her and hold her with all his might. He didn't want to look pitiful before this old man. Malfoys didn't do that. 

"He was a fool for even joining Riddle's force, I say." His grandfather continued. "Why, I had known that man when we were still going at Hogwarts. Bloody git, he was."

Draco just remained silent, his mind furiously thinking about what to do after this talk. Of course, he would have to take care of his mother. It is his sworn duty. Would he eventually go to work? Perhaps he could teach at Hogwarts. He shook his head. No, he couldn't. Almost all of the staff at Hogwarts hated his guts even if it was widely known that he turned his back on the Dark Lord. Or maybe he could go seek help from his father's friends or minions or whatever— Crabbe and Goyle-- No, even they hated him that much. After disappearing during the Dark Lord's war, not giving his full support, he is was so sure that they will would kill him at first sight. 

"Now," His grandfather said, looking up. "I have here the papers stating that I, Vladimir Malfoy II, owns a vast sum of money amounting to 95 million galleons and a total of 167 million galleons worth of property. All assets stated will be passed to my grandson, Draco Edward Malfoy on his twenty-first birthday."

"Father—" Narcissa began but Vladimir shook her away to quiet her. Draco nearly stumbled as he felt his knees turning weak. He didn't know just how rich the old man was… well, not until now. A total of 262 million galleons?! That was a lot money! A really LOT of money. They would survive after all! He doesn't even need to work! And he was already twenty-two! That meant— 

"However." His grandfather said loudly. "I have changed my will."

Draco's face turned cold upon noting the satisfied smile of his grandfather before him. It was a smile that says "I did something great!" It took all his willpower not to hurl his knuckles against his grandfather's face.

"Don't look at me like that, boy! You will get the fortune eventually." The old man said. "But I have stated some conditions here after learning of your philandering ways. I couldn't possibly leave a vast amount of money to someone who is stupid, now could I? What good would it do leaving this to someone like you if you would just waste it, eh?" 

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, his voice stone cold.

Vladimir smirked arrogantly. He stood up and made his way towards Draco. "Women." He said.

Draco took a deep breath.

"Wine." His grandfather added.

Draco's breathing became ragged.

"And whatever you think will amuse you."

"The situation is entirely different now." Draco replied furiously but with cool calmness. "I have changed and if I haven't, I will. I have no other choice."

With that, Vladimir laughed loudly. Narcissa's silver eyes traveled from his son's angry face to the old man's jovial ones. She just knew how her son hates to be laughed at. Narcissa silently prayed that Draco would be able to hold his temper a little longer. 

"I reckon not." His grandfather said. "But then, I believe you're going to change. We will see about that."

"The conditions, grandfather." Draco said impatiently.

Vladimir let out a smile, a predatory smile. "Oh the conditions, eh?" He asked. "Actually, I only have one condition, boy."

Draco remained silent. Vladimir's smile widened, like a cat's going on for the kill.

"To inherit all my assets, you boy must have a decent life." He replied.

"What exactly are you trying to get at?" He demanded. "Stop talking in riddles! I have no time for such things!" He added impatiently. 

His grandfather chuckled and handed him one parchment as his answer. Draco snatched the cracked paper, his eyes scanning the content. The old man eyed him with amusement as Draco's eyes nearly popped out his head.

"What?!" Draco yelled. He then let out an audible curse. "I absolutely will not!"

"Draco, please—" Narcissa pleaded, placing her hand on her son's shoulder.

"That is the only condition, boy. Take it of or leave it."

Draco silently thought about his mother, then shrugged. There's divorce anyway. Yes, it could work! And Blaise… she would be more than happy to oblige, surely, since money was involved and to top it all off, Blaise was not really up for marriage. That would make things a little less complicated. 

He then placed his hands on his temple as if getting a sudden headache. Oh, Lindsay wasn't going to like this. Eliza too, and Jasmina and—

"And don't even think of marrying one of your whores, boy! Especially that wretched of a girl, Zabini!" The old man barked.

This time Draco's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don't see why not?" He replied with forced calmness. "I will marry whom I wish to marry. I can't see why it's your concern."

"It is too my concern because the money you and your wife will live on is mine." Vladimir answered heavily. "Get a nice, decent girl, boy. Someone of good and moral character. Someone who I will be proud of. Someone who I will approve."

"Then why don't YOU go and get married yourself?" Draco spat angrily.

"Draco—" Narcissa began.

"Oh I'm so flattered that you think that I, at this old age of mine, could even engage in that tradition. Courtship, I mean. But I assure you, I'm well past the marrying age boy." His grandfather answered deliberately. Draco curled up his knuckles, his breathing heavy as he fought to hold his temper. "Go and get someone like your mother." Vladimir said his eyes turning to Narcisaa. "Beautiful and special. You deserved more than that blasted son of mine, Narcissa."

"My mother is a saint. No one can compare to her. What do you want me to do then? Marry a saint? Or a nun?" Draco said sarcastically. 

Vladimir shrugged. "You'll think of something, I'm sure. In the meanwhile, off you go! I need to be alone."

"Gladly." Draco growled angrily while throwing the parchment at his grandfather. He then hurriedly turned and made his way crossly towards the door with his mother following him. Once outside, Narcissa stopped and held her son's arm. Draco turned to her, his eyebrows raised in confusion.

"You mean that?" She asked sofly.

"What?"

"What you said back there."

With At that Draco went silent as he bit his lower lip like he used to do when he was a boy. "Yes, mother." He answered softly. He then smiled sadly. "No one can compare to you. To tell you the truth, I can't even understand why you married my father. He is was so--"

Narcissa shook her head. "If I hadn't, then you wouldn't be here."

Draco sighed and raked his hand through his hair. "That's the bitter reality of it, mother."

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to, Draco. I'll understand. I want you to be happy, son. We'll get through, somehow."

Draco shook his head as his answer and continued walking. He didn't want to be like his father. Lucius Malfoy had brought nothing but pain and sadness to his sweet and caring mother. And now that he was dead, nothing could stop him from repaying the sweetness and the kindness his mother had once bestowed on him. He may not have been that good at showing it, both verbally and physically, but at least by doing that blasted condition—

"Will you hold this for a minute, dear?" Narcissa said, interrupting his thoughts. 

Draco nodded and absently held his hand out. Narcissa placed a roll of parchment in it and proceeded to straighten her dress robe. His eyes unconsciously went to the paper in his hand.

"You brought this?" He asked frowning upon seeing the bold letters of the Daily Prophet.

Narcissa nodded looking at it. "Silly me, I have forgotten that I placed it inside my robe pocket." She said. Then she sighed. "Oh I would be sorry to see that orphanage close down. Just thinking of those poor children… I would have gladly given some of our money to that institution if it wasn't for your father..."

Draco didn't answer as his eyes scanned the article. Apparently the orphanage that was built to house the orphaned children after the war was facing financial difficulty. He was about to throw the paper away when a name caught his attentions. 

"Draco let's go. We'll be late for supper." His mother urged.

He nodded absent-mindedly, his eyes not leaving the paper. Just then, an idea hit him. He tucked the newspaper inside his robe pocket and smiled. He followed his mother whom was already near the door. Everything's becoming perfect.

"Its payback time, Virginia." He drawled softly to himself, pleased. 

  


End of Part I 

  


A/N: The word "Ignus" really came from FF VIII. There was a painting there that depicted a flame and its name was Ignus. I kinda derived the concept from that. More would be coming... I got most of the spells from FF VIII. 


	2. A Lost Love

Author's notes: Again thanks to all the people who gave me those encouraging reviews! Wow! I love you guys so much!!! You keep me going! And um… I would also like to inform you that I have already changed the title to Serpent's Bride. This will be the title from Chapter Three onwards. 

And the Weasly children's middle name "Aurelius" belongs to Cassie. thanks so much for letting me use it, Cassie! 

  


Serpent's Bride: A Lost Love

  


Ginny was currently writing a thank you note that noon to her twin brothers, just a week after the release of her advertisement in the Daily Prophet. She felt that things couldn't have been better. She thought. Now that the Daily Prophet had released her advertisement, it would no doubt attract donations and sponsors. Ginny could really feel something big would come, sooner or later. 

She hummed cheerfully, her pen making light scratching noises against the dirty-yellow hue of the paper. She hated using a muggle pen but she couldn't possibly use a quill and ink here. As a solution, she settled for a fountain pen, which was both convenient and less messy. She was about to put the last words in her letter when Therese, her secretary, popped her golden head inside her muggle office. Ginny looked up, her eyes inquiring. 

"Ms. Weasly?" The girl called softly. 

"Yes, Therese?"

"There is someone here to see you." The girl answered. 

Ginny frowned. Who could that be? And in at this time of day? She then straightened her hair and nodded her head, signaling her approval. 

"All right then. Send him in." She answered. Then she frowned. "Is that a 'him' by the way?"

"Oh yes." Her secretary replied. Ginny's frown deepened upon noting the careless giggle that escaped her the secretary's lips. "It's definitely a 'him'."

Ginny nodded her head as her eyes followed her departing secretary, no doubt, on her way to fetch her the guest. She then decided to tidy up her desk while waiting for the man. Moments later, a soft voice called her name. She lookedLooking up only she to see a pair of deep green eyes and a huge smile before her. 

"Harry?" She asked with in confusion. "I thought you were're in Ireland right now. Puddlemere United versus Chudley Canons, right?" 

Harry walked inside into the room, grinning. "Hi Ginny! And yes I should be in Ireland but I took some time off." He gave her a light peck on the cheek in greeting. Then he looked down shyly. "Um… these are for you, by the way." He said handing her a bouquet of flowers,

white roses to be exact. 

Ginny's eyes widened with surprise and pleasure. "Thank you." She said taking the fragrant things from him. She then brought the flowers to her nose, inhaling their sweet scent. "They are lovely." Then she chuckled. "Don't tell me you came home just to ask me out for a late lunch?"

"Well, I normally would but I came here to talk to you." Harry replied, sitting down on her couch. Ginny walked towards her desk and placed the flowers in her vase, replacing the old, wilted ones. "This is the most private place I could think of." He shrugged.

"Really now?" Ginny smiled and turned to him. "So Harry," She began. "It's so nice to see you. What brings you here? How's little Nathan doing? And what about the Quidditch match?" She asked.

"Oh, he's fine. Fine indeed. And as for the quidditch match, Aaron's taking over as seeker. George isn't any better, after little Sylvia performed the Jelly-Legs Jinx on him accidentally..." He replied, his eyes traveling from her now clutter-free desk to the pristine white and light blue paintings of the walls. Ginny frowned in puzzlement upon noticing his blank eyes settling on her bookshelf. She cleared her throat loudly. Harry jerked his head and smiled. 

"Still teaching muggle history, I suppose?" He asked. 

"Um, yes. I earn a lot more with muggle money. Especially now that the exchange rate is getting high." She replied. 

"Yes, yes indeed." Harry murmured. Then he coughed. "I just don't get it though, Ginny. You're family suddenly struck it rich and with the orphanage problem… why don't you just go and get some of your family's fortune then?" 

Ginny hung her head. It was actually true. The Weaslys had becaome rich overnight. It really stunned the seven Weasly children to learn that their mother, Molly Aurelius Weasly, was actually rich. 

Molly was the daughter of Moira and Anthony Aurelius, both of good wizard lineages. But then, Molly fell in love with the commoner Weasly and insisted marrying him rather than the match prepared by her parents even before she was born. Due to this, Anthony Aurelius, in his anger, disowned Molly and never made an attempt of seeing her again. It was only now recently that Anthony, upon learning of his seven grown-up grandchildren, decided to make peace with his only daughter and son-in-law. Due to the fact that he was also dying, Anthony left all of his assets to them. 

"I absolutely cannot do that, Harry." Ginny replied. "That money is for my parents. After all their sufferings just to get us through school, I just don't think that it's fair for them to finance our chosen fields." Then she smiled. "Oh and thanks for the donations, Harry. It had really meant a lot to me."

Harry smiled. "It's nothing, really." He replied.

Ginny then sat beside him. "So how are Ron and Hermione doing?" 

"Oh, they are fine." Harry answered. "I bet they are bored out of their wits. Being Aurors these days can get pretty boring. After Voldemort and all." He added chuckling. 

Ginny giggled. "I suppose you're right. And what about little Sylvia?"

"The little rascal's keeping them occupied in the meantime." Harry answered. Then he shook his head. "I just can't figure that kid out. She has Ron's mischief but she also has Hermione's curiosity. Put those things together and they spell disaster, really. Especially now that she's demonstrated magic by turning on poor George. It won't be long now till she got her letter, I suppose."

She laughed. "I think so too. I hope Nathan's not giving you a headache."

Harry shook his head. "Nathan's well-behaved and quiet. Probably takes after Cho. He misses you though, mind you." Ginny nodded her had and decided not to say anything. Silence hitting them, he then cleared his throat and took Ginny's hands into his. Not stopping him, Ginny took a deep breath upon feeling his calloused skin against hers. She had a sudden feeling as to where this was heading. 

"Ginny, I-"

"Harry, please don't." Ginny softly said. It took all her will power just to utter those words out. She looked away in order not to see the hurt look on his face.

It was surprising to think that she couldn't bear to see him hurt while she was able to bear the pain he had caused her when he married Cho Chang. It was a nightmare, really. When Harry announced his engagement, the wizarding world celebrated. The Daily Prophet, and Witch Weekly, and other foreign newspapers and magazines splashed pictures of the happy couple everywhere,… everywhere she looked, everywhere she went. It was like a slap in the face. It really was painful, so painful. Knowing for a fact that almost everybody at Hogwarts knew her feelings for Harry, it was Christmas day everyday for Rita Skeeter. 

But then acceptance dawned on her. It was acceptance that helped her through. She couldn't really blame him. She didn't have the right to get angry and spiteful. With the help of her friends plus keeping herself busy with the orphanage, she was able to forget her feelings for Harry. It was just a matter of time when she realized that she no longer possessed those strong feelings for him, those strong feelings that had plagued her for seven years. Now, she was finally free. 

But honestly speaking, she didn't know exactly when and why she had stopped loving Harry Potter. Was it probably because she got sick and tired of waiting for him to love her back? Or was it because of her hated acceptance that he would never love her back? Was it because of his marrying Cho or did she just simply fall out of love? Such a thought was terrible. Until that moment, she really didn't believe that she was capable of falling out of love. But Harry Potter had become a living proof of that. Such a thought made her fear of commitment stronger.

"Ginny, please hear me out." Harry said, his voice pleading. Ginny sighed and settled her brown eyes back to his green ones again. 

"Harry, I know the pain of losing Cho, of losing someone you love and-" 

"That was the past, Ginny." Harry replied. "True, I was angry and hurt after Cho died of childbirth. I even thought I could never love again but now-" He stopped and looked at her tenderly. "What if I tell you that I have- that I have fallen in love with you, Ginny?" 

Ginny stared at him as if he were insane. She momentarily let her eyes roam from his hopeful face to his strong shoulders, developed by years of playing professional quidditch. She bit her lips as her eyes traveled down to his lean chest then back again to his face. 

Harry Potter was in love with her? But why does did she feel- nothing? Nothing at all. She was surprised, yes. But why isn't she happy? Or thrilled? Hadn't she longed for those words ever since the first time she saw him on Platform 9 3/4? Why did it have to happen now? Now that everything was too late… 

"Ginny, I-"

"Harry, please--- "

"I know I haven't been fair to you those past years. I know I've hurt you a dozen times over and I really want to hit myself for that. But I- I can't stop the way I'm feeling. After all those these years, I just-"

Ginny bit her lip. "Harry, you know this will complicate things."

He nodded his head. "I know, but I'm willing to take chances."

Ginny shook her head. "It's not easy." She replied. "True we have been dating now and then but I-" She stopped upon feeling his fingers lightly caressing her cheek. She shut her eyes momentarily. _Oh why do you have to say this now? Or do this?_ She thought. 

"I don't know what I want… yet." She continued. 

Harry sighed as his fingers trailed to her chin. "I just can't believe why, after all these years…" His voice trailed as he lifted her face to his. "It's like I'm seeing you for the first time." He whispered softly, his eyes turning a deep emerald green behind his glasses. 

Ginny felt her nerves twisting when she saw his head coming slowly onto hers slowly. Without thinking, she jerked back. 

"Ginny?" Harry asked frowning. 

"Harry, we can't." She squeaked. She was surprised to find herself breathing hard. Sure they'ved kissed before, but why did this time feel so- wrong? So very, very wrong. "I- can't." She was heaving. 

"Why?" Harry asked in a hurt voice. "Is there another one?" He found himself thinking. Sure, Ginny's a beautiful woman and all. With her flame red hair and her small, dainty figure, Harry was sure that almost everybody, wizards and muggles alike, never forgot to include her in their wildest fantasies. Other than being lovely, Ginny has a kindness that any man would fall for. He never actually thought that she would actually blossom into such a beautiful woman with a pure spirit. It wasn't just her features, it was also her compassion that touched him deeply. If he could just turn everything back… 

"I just can't. I'm sorry." She replied. She heard Harry sigh. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulders. It was really unbelievable that something as simple as this left her so weak. "I just don't want to give you false hopes and empty promises. You deserve more than that." She said softly. Other than the fact Ron would kill her for hurting his very best friend, Ginny didn't want to go into something she wasn't entirely sure of. She didn't want to hurt anybody, especially Harry. 

"I'm sorry, Ginny." Harry whispered.

"I'm really sorry too." Ginny whispered back. 

Harry chuckled softly. "No, it's I who should be sorry." He said, shaking his head. He lifted her face and softly planted a kiss on her forehead. "But would you promise to consider?" 

At that, Ginny smiled weakly. "I promise." She replied. 

Harry smiled. "Thank you." He said. Then he grinned. "But this doesn't mean I'll let you off that easily, Ginny." He added standing up. 

"What do you mean?" She asked standing up as well, her eyes following him to the door. Harry turned around and faced her. 

"In common terms," He began as he adjusted his glasses. "I'll wait no matter how long it takes." He continued casually. 

"You would?" Ginny asked with bewilderment. "Why?"

This time Harry laughed and walked towards her. "It's because I love you." He replied pinching her small nose fondly. "I made a mistake before of letting you go and I won't make that same mistake again." 

Ginny fell silent upon hearing this. She wasn't sure what to say. Harry chuckled, letting his hand fall down. "Don't worry, you don't have to say anything." He said, sensing her discomfort. He then turned around and made his way towards the door. "In the meantime, why don't we go to your flat? I'm sure we can work something out?." He said meaningfully. "It would be really nice to give Nathan a red-haired, cute sister to play with, don't you think?" Ginny frowned. 

"Harry!"

"Just kidding, just kidding." He quickly said. "I'm sure you won't deprive me the chance of taking you home now, would you? It's nearly five."

Ginny looked unsure but there was a hint of laughter a smile curving her mouth. She could feel that he was trying to take the hated awkwardness away. She bit her lip and stared at him. Harry threw his hand up. "I promise, no funny business." 

With that, Ginny laughed. "Okay, okay. Just let me get my things." She replied as she walked towards her chair. She opened her lower drawer and retrieved her bag. "Have you tried that new Mexican restaurant just across this office?" She asked while putting her coat on. 

"No, not yet." Harry answered as he opened the door for her. "Care to try it?"

"All right." Ginny replied as they walked side by side. "I'm hungry."

Harry laughed. "I thought you hated spicy food?" He asked.

Ginny chuckled. "Yes, but I'm hungry and I don't care if you feed me hot and spicy burritos right now." She added said as they exited the office with Harry's hand lightly on top of her shoulders. 

  


==========

  


It was nearly eight when Ginny and Harry parted ways. Harry had insisted on going to the movies but Ginny gracefully declined. And now, she found herself standing alone just before her flat door, desperately searching for her keys. It was also a good thing that Harry didn't insist on coming up. Considering their present situation, Ginny was so unsure what a dimly lit flat would encourage them to do.

"Where is it?" She hissed angrily. "Stupid muggle things." She gritted her teeth impatiently and was about to use her wand when an eagle owl suddenly landed on her shoulder.

"Wha-" Ginny started as the owl began to nip her ear gently to get her attention. "Who do you belong to, sweet?" She cooed as she lightly scratched the owl's feathered neck. Animals, as well as children, were her weakness. 

The owl then held its foot out as its answer. Ginny frowned upon seeing a note attached to it. "Who's this from?" She asked as she gingerly took the rolled parchment from the owl. Then to her absolute surprise, the owl flew away without even demanding for sweets or knuts.

"That's strange." She murmured as she studied the parchment in her hands. It had the usual color of wizard's parchment. Dirty yellow. It was rolled up neatly tied with a silver ribbon in the middle. The only difference was, the scent of the paper. It smelled strongly of something she knew… of someone… 

Shaking such foolish thoughts away, Ginny then decided to end the mystery by untying the ribbon. Unrolling the parchment, a soft cry of astonishment came out of her lips when a row of neat scripted letters written in bright green slowly materialized on the blank page. 

  
__

Nice to see you again, Virginia 

  


"What the-" She began as she inspected the letter. "It seems that it has only one sentence." She surmised. She frowned. Is this someone's idea of a joke? Probably one of Fred and George's gags again. She was about to throw the letter away when something suddenly caught her eyes.

"A serpent's sign." She murmured upon seeing the intricate design of the serpent just below the sentence. From its pattern, Ginny was sure that this serpent was somewhat of a coat of arms or an insignia or something. But who could- Ginny suddenly stopped, as realizations struck her. 

"It can't be-" The words were barely out of her lips when she felt another presence in the hall, standing just behind her. She whirled around only to see a pair of cold gray eyes looking at her. 

"Hello, Viriginia."

End of Part II 


	3. The Proposal

Thank you very much for the warm reviews people!!! You never let me down!!! 

Nightspirit: Wow! Glad to find you here too!!! Thanks for reviewing my fic!

Eiez: Um... it will be NC-17 in the later chapters ::grins:: Thanks!

I'm really, really very sorry if I can't thank you all individually... but you know my heartwarming thanks are for you people!!! 

Authors notes: My beta-reader, Alli-chan, just asked me a question about Part II. I would like to inform my readers that there is something going on with Harry and Ginny. They've begun dating months after Cho's death... I just don't want to be misunderstood, awright? 

Here's part III!!! Enjoy!

  


Serpent's Bride III: The Proposal

  


"Hello, Virginia"

Ginny stared at the man looming over her. With his towering height, Ginny felt his overpowering presence wash over her. 

"Draco?" She squeaked.

Draco raised one eyebrow upon hearing his first name coming out of her lips. His eyes studied her small face. It was still the same sweet-faced Weasly five years ago. There was the red crown of mane tied in a loose bun, so loose that it created pretty tendrils framing her face, wide chocolate-brown eyes, the small feminine nose, the same freckled cheeks, the soft pink glossy lips he had wittingly kissed before… But behind all the sweetness, there was something fierce behind those doe brown eyes of hers. It was a fierceness he never saw in a woman before. "It's good that you remember me, Weasly." He drawled.

Ginny stared at him for a long time, quite unsure of what to say. Draco Malfoy… After five years… Memories quickly whizzed inside her head…

  
__

"It's a wizard's debt, you know. I'll see you again, Virginia."

  


She shook her head. No, he can't be serious now, can he? It had been five years! Those long five happy years of not seeing him… of not seeing even his shadow…

__

"Alohomora."

The faint click of the lock shattered Ginny's thoughts away. She looked at Draco and frowned. "You're not supposed to do magic here, Malfoy." She said haughtily, looking pointedly at his wand. 

Draco just shrugged and made his way inside her flat. "Aren't you coming inside?" He asked smoothly. 

Ginny's mouth dropped with mixed anger and bewilderment. This is so unbelievable! She thought. I'm dreaming… This is a nightmare… She reiterated.

"Suit yourself." Draco said, leaving her alone in her doorstep. "Lumos."

"You have to turn the light switch on, you twit." Ginny hissed angrily as her hands felt the walls for the switch. She turned it on and the room immediately shone with light. "I really don't appreciate your barging in like that." She began as Draco went about her living room. "Will you just go away?" She added nastily. 

At that, Draco looked up. "Is that how you welcome an old schoolmate, Weasly?" He asked smirking, looking around her neat flat. There were soft white couches with a small table beside it with a-- what do they call it here-- telephone? He shook his head inwardly. How could she even think of living in a muggle settlement anyway? He cleared his throat and continued. "Of course, I would've have used the word friend but as I remember, you-" He stopped while thinking of an appropriate word. This time, Ginny decided to help. 

"Despise you?" She asked, her words dripping with venom. "Oh yes, I do despise you, so will you please leave already?"

Draco then slowly walked towards her, his eyes narrowed evenly. Ginny backed away slowly and gasped as he stopped just inches away from her. She closed her eyes momentarily upon smelling the faint scent of his cologne. 

"Are you scared, little Weasly?" He asked. Ginny opened her eyes upon hearing his soft, dangerous voice, so soft that it was like a caress. Her eyes unwillingly dropped to his lips. Unconsciously, her mind reminded her how those lips tasted and to her horror she found herself licking her own.

Draco chuckled upon seeing the pink tip of her tongue sensuously sliding against the smooth skin of her mouth. "Or did you just miss me?" He supplied.

This time Ginny frowned and walked away from him. "Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy." She said spitefully. She faced him, her brown eyes flashing. "Ever since you disappeared, those were the happiest five years of my life, and as I see it, you're just determined to ruin it all."

Draco, instead of answering, raked his silver-gray eyes over her. Well, he had to admit, the years had been ever so kind to her and she had become a beautiful woman. She was wearing muggle clothes: a crisp white long-sleeved fitted blouse that was primly tucked inside her black trousers, and high-heeled muggle boots, or shoes, or whatever they called it there. All in all, even in muggle clothes, she looked beautiful and strong, almost domineering. He wondered what that blouse would reveal. He just didn't miss the blossoming hint of delicious curves behind it. 

Ginny, upon noting Draco's scrutiny, cleared her throat loudly. "What?" She snapped. She could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks upon noting the look he gave her. It was a look of- appreciation and something else, something fervent and intense. She couldn't be mistaken surely, after seeing the way his eyes raked up and down her body. And she hated it. She didn't want to please him in any way. But then, why did she also feel… thrilled? 

"Nothing." He replied shaking his head. He looked away in order not to prolong the impish thoughts churning inside his head. 

"I'm tired and I want to rest." Ginny began with hostility. "So whatever it is that you came here for-" 

"I'm here to collect." Draco interrupted. 

"Collect what?"

Draco gave out a soft mirthless laugh. "Isn't it surprising, after five years, I was able to track you down, little weasel?" He asked instead.

Ginny just remained silent and waited for him to continue. Draco cleared his throat.

"You owe me, Weasly." He finally said. 

"And so? What about it?" Ginny asked spitefully. 

"And I want you to pay me back."

Ginny's jaw dropped. Wizard's debt… Of course he would be able to track her down. It was old magic. It created a bond between them. She looked at him anxiously. What did he want in return then? She swallowed hard, thinking about the way he looked at her earlier. But then she had no other choice. One couldn't choose how and when to repay a favor, that was a fact. Well… unless she fought back. But looking at his build, it would have surely been a losing battle. 

"H- how can I give it back to you then?" She asked, desperately trying to keep her voice cool. She looked him straight in the eye in order to not to show him her fear. 

"Marry me." He said simply.

Ginny's anxiety turned to bewilderment upon hearing the words. "What?" She demanded. Was she hearing right? Was he insane?

"Marry me." He repeated. "In order to get my fair share of the Malfoy estate, I have to get married. It's stated in the will, of course, or I wouldn't be here." He added. 

"NO." Ginny answered curtly. "You're insane and I simply refuse. Ask another favor, if you please." She continued coolly. Then she frowned when Draco suddenly smiled. "What's so amusing? Even if I owe you something, even if you saved my life five years ago, I won't marry you! I simply won't-"

"I would be inheriting over 200 million galleons worth of assets, Weasely." He said smoothly. 

"Good for you. Now will you please leave?" She spat. 

But Draco moved towards her. "Think of this as a business proposition." He said. "Think how this can help the orphanage. Think about those children. Those children you so love dearly." 

At that, Ginny stopped. Was he implying that he was willing to share his inherited fortune with her if she conceded to be his wife? And why was he that desperate? Well, yes, she couldn't deny the fact that it would be so helpful to the orphanage. Even just a quarter of that vast amount of money would be more than enough… 

"Why me?" The words came out of her lips before she could stop them. She slowly backed away. "How did you know about the orphanage?" 

"The Daily Prophet." He answered calmly, advancing towards her. "As to your first question, you are what my grandfather would approve of. Someone nice. Someone who he can be proud of. I'm quoting him on that, of course. 

"Or you probably don't have many choices, right?" She said viciously. "What's the matter Malfoy? Can't find a girlfriend? It's not surprising, is it?"

Draco smirked. "Think anything you want." He drawled moving closer to her till he was able to trap her against the wall. "Just yes or no, Weasely." He whispered.

Ginny closed her eyes upon feeling his warm breath against her cheek. "Why should- I?" She asked, her voice coming out in a gasp. "You made my life a living hell. In school...you were so unbearable, so despicable, so--- " Memories came flooding back to her… 

  
__

She was walking aimlessly down the hall, minding her own way when suddenly she felt her skirt lifting up together with her school robes. She looked behind and saw Draco and his goons laughing. 

  


"Marry me, Virginia." He said, his nose nuzzling her cheek, leaving her tongue-tied. 

  
__

It was Valentine's Day and for the first time in her life, someone gave her a flower. She was hurrying to Potion's Class when suddenly she bumped into him. Her things lay scattered on the ground together with the single rose. He laughed cruelly and stepped on it… crushing it…

  


"Just say yes."

Ginny gasped out as hated pleasure escalated up and down her spine. She felt the slow movement of his lips against her neck. 

"Marry me…" Draco said, his face traveling back to hers. Then without warning, he kissed her lips to sweeten the deal. 

Ginny lips reluctantly opened up for him. She shuddered upon feeling his tongue immediately seeking out her own, his hands traveling down her waist, pulling him closer to him till she felt his warm body against hers. White, hot pleasure sliced within her upon hearing his unwilling groan. Good lord, she didn't feel this with Harry!

"What now, Virginia?" Draco asked, his voice muffled against her lips.

"Yes." She gasped as his lips traveled down her neck. "Yes, yes."

Then to her surprise, he stopped. Ginny nearly cried upon feeling him pulling away. She took a deep breath, swallowing the forming protests within her.

"A wise choice." He said, smiling lazily. His eyes danced upon noting the blush creeping up her cheek. "So, they still produce women who blush?" He found himself asking.

Ginny's eyes narrowed. She just couldn't believe she had said that! She just couldn't believe she had agreed to marry him! She agreed just because of a few million galleons and a hot, searing kiss! The feeling worsened when the thought of being bought came to her mind. But then everything was irreversible now. She bit her lip to keep herself from crying. Just what would her parents say when they learned that'd she'd be marrying a Malfoy?

"Of course, I will keep my part of the bargain." He said calmly. "One million galleons will immediately be deposited in your Gringgots account as an installment. There will be an engagement party of course and-"

"Does it include children?" She found herself asking.

Draco stopped and looked at her momentarily. "No, fortunately it doesn't." He finally replied. "You will get 30 million galleons after our divorce and-"

"70." She demanded. She was bought now, anyway, and the best thing to do was to make the most of it. 

Draco's eyes narrowed. This girl was shrewd! "50." He said evenly.

"70, final offer." Ginny insisted. Draco sighed, raking his hand against his fine hair. 

"Do we have a deal then?" She asked sweetly. When Draco nodded his head, Ginny smiled. "Deal."

"Good." Draco said, nodding his as well. "So I guess you'll be seeing a lot of me and-"

"It doesn't include sleeping together in one room, does it?" She asked. Well, after all, having children was out of the question so she couldn't see the point of sharing one bed. The thought nearly made her sick. Sharing her bed with Malfoy?! No way! Her brain screamed. But then, why does her body disagree? _Damn him!_ She thought spitefully.

Draco pursed his lips as if he was trying hard not to laugh. He looked at her as if he was reading the conflicting emotions raging inside her. "Do you want to?" He asked in that soft, caressing voice of his again. "We can surely make the proper arrangements." He added meaningfully.

"Oh, stop kidding yourself!" Ginny cried indignantly. "I want a separate bedroom, of course!"

"Are you sure?" He asked, smiling knowingly. "And why don't I believe you?"

"Separate bedroom or you will find yourself with no wife at all, Malfoy!" She said crossing her arms stubbornly. 

"All right, all right, if that is what you want. Separate bedrooms!" He said throwing his hands up as a sign of surrender. But then, he smiled inwardly. Let's just see how long you'll be able to keep up this charade, Ms. Weasly. He silently thought, remembering her gasps and moans of pleasure just a while ago. After tasting her the second time, there was just no way that Draco would allow her to sleep somewhere else on their wedding night.

"Give me a month." She suddenly said.

Draco frowned. "What ever for? You just said yes." He said.

"I have to prepare my parents, especially my brothers for this, you idiot." She hissed. And Harry. She silently thought.

"Oh, yes, yes of course." Draco said in agreement. That would give him enough time to show his grandfather that he had changed. He had to prove that he and Virginia were in love and surely ample time was needed to prove that he had broken up with Blaise and the rest. Vladimir Malfoy II was no fool. 

"So what now?" Ginny asked. "Anything else?"

"I'll see you soon." Draco said, walking towards her door. "You settle everything with your family, I'll settle with mine. Given the appropriate time, I'll go to your parents to formally ask for you hand."

"Seems like you've already planned everything out." Ginny said weakly.

Draco just nodded his head and stepped outside her flat. "Have a good night, Weasly." And with that, he got his wand and disapparated.

Ginny slowly closed the door and leaned against it tiredly. She brought her hands to her face, taking mouthfuls of air. 

Just what did I get myself into? She asked herself. Then she remembered Harry. She had been firm with him. She was in total control. But when it came to Draco... when it came to this... why did she feel so... weak, so overly powerless... 

Oh, wizard's debt my foot! She thought. But then, she had no other choice, right? She sighed. Everything was decided now. As of tonight, she was officially Draco Malfoy's fiancé. 

End of Part III 


	4. Letters

Author's Notes: Hello people and thanks for the awesome reviews! I'm really, really sorry it took me a while to upload the newest chapter!!! SORRY!!! Anyway, this is it! I just hope I won't disappoint people with this because I must admit that this chapter contains less G/D action mostly Draco's POV. ::cackles:: at least we get to mess around inside Draco's mind... but a lot will come with Part V (which is currently under construction) :) Thanks a lot people!!!   
  
Animagus-steph: Thanks so much for understanding! And wow! That kind of amount?! Wow again!!! I didn't know that! Thanks for the information!  
  
Midnight Rose: Thanks so much for the "fic" concern. I know everybody gets what I mean. I just don't want to offend the person involved so I'm not saying the issue, awright?   
  
Oh and this chapter is for my two wonderful beta-readers, Alli-chan and Fred! Thanks a lot guys!   
  
Serpent's Bride IV: Letters  
  
"What did you just say?" Ron demanded. He immediately stood up and paced back and forth in the Weasly living room back and forth. "Ginny! Is this some kind of a joke? Draco Malfoy? Are you out of your mind?"  
  
"Ron-" Hermione began. She looked apologetically at Arthur and Molly Weasly, who were sitting there not saying anything. "Ron, what did you expect? They were dating, right? Of course it would've just been a matter of time before he asked for her hand in marriage!" She said. She looked at Ginny and forced out a smile.   
  
"Ah, dating yes. When I heard about it, I had hard time believing it. And you know what? I accepted that fact because I knew that it wouldn't last. Sorry 'bout that Gin. But now, marriage?" He exploded. He turned to his parents. "What are you two doing? Your only daughter will marry a brute and-"   
  
"Draco's not a brute!" Ginny said, forcing the words especially his first name out.  
  
"He is too!" Ron answered back. "Didn't he make your life at Hogwarts miserable? Oh, as I remember, it wasn't just your life. My life, Harry's life, Hermione's life… And what about Harry? That stupid, son of a-"   
  
"That is not very fair, Ron!" Ginny answered back.  
  
"I don't care!" Her brother replied fuming. He walked towards her, his green eyes glowing with anger. Ginny swallowed hard upon seeing the rage written across her brother's face. She hadn't expected Ron to get this angry. "I won't let Malfoy marry my younger sister and that's final. If you won't listen to me, Ginny, then I will make his life a living hell instead! And I will-"   
  
"Ronald Weasly, you stop it this instant!" Hermione cried out indignantly when she saw the miserable look on Ginny's face. Ron, upon hearing his wife's angry voice, immediately shut his mouth. Hermione sighed. "There's no need for you to shout, you might wake Sylvia up. And as for Ginny, at least you could be happy for her, right?"  
  
Ron's green eyes narrowed. "Oh, don't be a hypocrite, Herm. Surely this is a shocker for you too, now isn't it?" He said nastily.  
  
Hermione's jaw dropped. Well, yes. It had really surprised her to learn of Ginny's sudden engagement to Malfoy. Just like Ron, she had dismissed the thought of them dating together, presuming it was nothing serious. But now…   
  
"Mom, Dad." Ginny said softly turning to her parents. "Please say something."  
  
Arthur Weasly sighed and took his glasses off. He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly just like the way he used to when he was being pressured back in the Ministry. Molly Weasley, in turn, looked at her husband questioningly.   
  
"Are his intentions good?" He asked finally.  
  
Ginny thought about the kiss they shared the night he 'proposed', the way his eyes raked over her… "Yes, his intentions are good." She forced out, feeling terribly sick.  
  
"This has nothing to do with the orphanage being in financial trouble?" Her father asked again.  
  
"No." Ginny lied. She hated lying, especially to her parents. But she couldn't possibly tell them about the deal she made with Draco. "Even if he wants to help me with the orphanage, the Malfoy fortune isn't enough to see us through. Well, it is enough, but he wants for us to eat three times a day too, you know." She added. Now she was truly ready to barf.   
  
"Have you forgotten that he disappeared during the war?" Ron butt in. "Just like Voldemort! For all we know, he disappeared just to study the Dark Arts somewhere-uh… dark. He may be planning to be the next Voldemort and was just looking for a- a queen or something, you know, for him to breed his evil, horrible little off spring with. Don't forget you're easy prey to him. Being exposed to the Dark Arts at a very young age would surely-- " He stopped momentarily breathing hard. "For all we know, you might be under a- an Imperius Curse. Yes, that's it and-"   
  
"Ron, don't be stupid." Ginny spat back. "Draco disappeared because he didn't want to take part in anything that had to do with his father and that included the dark lord. And I'm not under some curse! That's nothing but rubbish!" She supplied in Draco's defense. It nearly made her sick thinking that she was actually defending him in front of her family.  
  
"Does he make you happy?" Her father asked seriously.  
  
Ginny put on her best I'm-In Love-With-Him smile. "Yes, he loves me and I'm so much in love with him. He will be a good husband." She answered, now feeling the bile slowly rising in her throat. She swallowed hard.   
  
At that, Arthur Weasly stood up. "For that matter, I can't do anything." He said in resignation.  
  
"What the fuck--" Ron cried out.  
  
"Ronald Weasly, I will not have that language in my house!" Threatened their mother. "Especially not in front of your father." She added, pulling her large build up from the couch.  
  
But instead of apologizing, Ron sat back down and sulked while his wife eyed him with much disapproval.  
  
Ginny's face brightened. "You mean, you approve?" She asked.  
  
"Have him here by the fortnight and we shall see." Was her father's only reply. Then giving out a tired sigh, he said. "Good night, I'll be retiring."  
  
"Good night." Hermione and Ginny both said. Ron scowled.  
  
Molly Weasly, in turn, kissed Hermione then Ginny. "Best that you owl the rest of your brothers, dear." She said. "And be light about it." She added. She had a nasty feeling that this marriage would bring about only disaster. She can just picture Fred and Goerge's reactions... and Bill and Charlie and Percy... She closed her eyes momentarily thinking about the nearing chaos this would bring.   
  
"I will." Ginny said cheerfully. "Good night, Mom."  
  
"Good night, dears." Her mother said before following their father up into their room.  
  
With the three of them alone, Hermione cleared her throat. Turning to Ginny, she smiled kindly. "So Gin, this is so…" She paused, her eyebrows crinkling in thought. Ginny turned to her questioningly. "So… unexpected." She continued. "And-and-wonderful, really." She added lamely.  
  
Ron gave out a disgusted snort. "This is stupid. I'm going to bed." He declared grumpily. He stood up and crossly made his way to his room that he now shared with his family. Upon hearing the angry slam of the door behind him, Hermione turned to Ginny apologetically.  
  
"You have to excuse him, Gin." She began tossing her long brown hair behind her shoulders. "You know how Malfoy was with him."  
  
Ginny shook her head. "No, its okay. I understand him." She said. "I just didn't expect that he would react that way." She added. She took a deep breath and began braiding her hair nonchalantly, looking absently at nothing.   
  
"Oh, you know how your brother is." Hermione said in tired voice. "Ever since we started dating he's always had this crazy notion that you and Harry should be together. He was really the first one, oh make that the only one, to object when Harry told him that he would be marrying Cho."  
  
Ginny just smiled weakly as her reply. It wasn't just him who'd objected. She thought. She bit her lip and looked away. She longed to tell Hermione her secret. But then, if she did- she shook her head. No, she absolutely couldn't do that. The children were depending on her. And what would Hermione think of her? Besides, she never asked Hermione for serious help.   
  
It was never her habit to go to Hermione, or her brother, or Harry for anything. Even during her Hogwarts years. That was the sole reason why she had gotten into trouble in her first year. But then, no one could really blame her. Harry, Ron and Hermione had this tight circle that included just the three of them. It was so tight, in fact, that even she couldn't penetrate it. And it made her feel so lonely and left out. Even though Hermione would ask her now and then about stuff and things, even with her attempts to make her feel comfortable and welcome, still Ginny felt so alone. Growing up with six brothers, not one of them taking her seriously… it really was difficult to make friends. For everybody at Hogwarts, she was just Ginny, Ron's 'baby sister.' Someone they had to protect. Someone they had to pamper. Almost everybody in the Gryffindor common room took care of her because she was JUST Ginny. And not Virginia.   
  
"A penny for your thoughts."   
  
Ginny, hearing Hermione's sudden voice, turned to her. "What?" She asked frowning. "Were you saying something?"  
  
"Um, no, but you, on the other hand, were thinking of something." She replied smiling. "Care to share?"  
  
Ginny smiled weakly. "I was just thinking about what Ron said." She replied. "Was it really shocking? I mean, me and D- Draco?"  
  
Hermione pursed her lips as she desperately weighed her answer. Ginny looked at her anxiously. Then after a moment, she spoke. "Even I was baffled by your sudden decision to marry him, Gin, to tell you honestly." She replied carefully. "With all due respect, Malfoy was a miserable bastard to you and to everyone else, and you two have been dating for just a month. Just a month, Ginny!"   
  
"I know." She said, nodding her head.  
  
"So, why so sudden?" Hermione interjected. "Can't you at least wait two or three years-"  
  
"I-" Ginny began searching for an answer. "I can't. We can't."  
  
Hermione's face turned serious. "Is there a problem, Ginny?" She asked cautiously. "If there is, you know you can always tell me." She added.  
  
Ginny looked at her momentarily then she shook her head. "We just can't wait, I guess." She replied uncertainly.  
  
Hermione gasped. "You're not pregnant, are you?" She asked, her brown eyes wide as saucers.  
  
"No, of course not!" Ginny cried out. "Hermione!"  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Hermione quickly said. "So, why the long face?"  
  
Ginny shrugged. "Wedding jitters, I guess?" She answered forcing out a laugh. Well it was true! Other than the sickening thought of marrying Malfoy made her anxious, sad and worried, it was also the wedding jitters that made her less happy, which was very, very unusual for a bride-to-be. "Did you have this when you were about to marry Ron?" She asked changing the topic.  
  
"Tell me about it." Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "I was a total nervous wreck! Especially with my family! You know they're muggles, right? But then, Ron was able to, you know," She shook her head and chuckled. "Ron, actually courted my whole family!"  
  
"Really?" Ginny said weakly. Would Draco court her family if he knew what was going on now? She found herself asking. She admitted that there was no doubt that Draco could win her family over, except Ron of course. Draco could be a charmer when he wanted to. What Draco wanted, Draco got… that was a proven fact. Ginny found herself almost believing that the saying really did apply to him. The night he proposed was a proof of that. "So, how did Ron court your family, Herm?" She asked listlessly.   
  
At the mention of Ron's name, Hermione beamed as a light giggle escaped her lips. "You know my parents are dentists, right?" She said eagerly. Ginny nodded her head and smiled weakly. "Well, in order to win them over, Ron uh… Oh god I shouldn't be telling you this… but…" She stopped and laughed. Ginny frowned upon seeing her face glowing with happiness. Envy immediately washed over her. All her life she had never been happy. She was kind and good and nice but why was she never happy? A would-be-bride should have been happy, right? You only got married once… well technically speaking, not once since there was divorce, but then… this would be her first wedding. Why did she feel as if it were a funeral wake that would be coming and not her wedding day? It was just not fair!   
  
Hermione cleared her throat. "Sorry… okay." She began turning serious. "Ron actually performed a teeth-bending hex on himself and had my parents fix it up for him, you know just to win some 'points'." She said, giggling again. "The only thing was Ron made a mistake somewhere and before he knew it, all his teeth fell out!" She laughed.  
  
Ginny's eyes widened. "What?" She exclaimed. "I never knew that!" She cried as a giggle escaped her sad lips. She could just picture Ron without teeth at all. The sight made her laugh. Yes, it was a typical Ron moment! "You know that something would always go wrong when it comes to Ron using hexes." She couldn't resist adding.   
  
"Yes, and he made me promise not to tell a single soul about it or he wouldn't marry me." Hermione answered. "But then, now that we're married and all- I can't see the point of hiding this from you." She added.  
  
"So what did he do?" Ginny asked curiously.  
  
"Well, my parents eventually saw what happened. It was when he was sitting in my dad's chair, his mouth opened up and ready for the braces, when his teeth suddenly fell out. I guess it made them feel sorry for him. And the sight was just really, really funny." Hermione replied, shaking her head. "I made him a tooth-growing potion afterwards, of course."   
  
Ginny laughed. "You were a crazy bunch, right?" She asked finally.  
  
Hermione's eyes misted. "Yes, I can say we were." She said. "Ron, Harry and I-it was really fun."  
  
Ginny's eyes looked down. "It was." She replied sadly thinking about her boring Hogwarts days. Then she shook her head. "So, Herm. What are you doing here? I thought you were in Ireland with Harry?" She asked instead.  
  
"Oh that. Well, it wasn't really my decision to go to Ireland but Ron insisted that we go there to watch Harry play." She snorted. "Hmph! For all I know it was just that stupid Chudley Canons… I really don't get them, quidditch and all." Then she clamped her hand to her mouth and turned to Ginny apologetically. "I'm sorry Gin, I know you played quidditch but that's not what I meant." She quickly said.  
  
"No, I get what you mean." Ginny replied, shaking her head.  
  
"Makes me wonder though," Hermione began. "You were a good Chaser back then at Hogwarts so why didn't you try for professional quidditch after graduation?" She asked.   
  
Ginny pursed her lips and frowned. "I think I'm just not up for real quidditch, that's all." She said, finally standing up, then stretching and yawning, her red main now in disarray. "I think I'll go to bed." She said, voice muffled.  
  
"Where will you sleep?" Hermione asked, standing up as well.  
  
"In my old bedroom, of course." Ginny replied, climbing up the stairs. When she reached her baby-blue colored door, Hermione gently laid a hand on top of her shoulder. Ginny stopped and turned to her questioningly.  
  
"How about Harry then?" She asked softly. "You've been dating, right?"   
  
Ginny frowned with the sudden question. "Well, I have to tell him of course." She answered carefully. "But he-he has to deal with it, right?"  
  
"He has no other choice." Hermione replied evenly. Ginny looked away. After a moment, Hermione cleared her throat.  
  
"You know you can always talk to me about anything, Gin." She said lightly. "Just don't hesitate to tell me any problems you may have, all right?" She added softly.  
  
Ginny smiled. "I will. Thank you." She replied. "Good night."  
  
Hermione nodded her head. "Good night."   
  
And with that, Ginny opened her door and entered. Hermione gave her one last smile before disappearing into her room. Closing the door behind her, Ginny heaved a deep breath and began walking towards her small writing desk.  
  
"Ready for a night stroll, Athena?" She asked her owl as she busily gathered up her parchment, ink and quill. She looked up and smiled upon hearing the soft agreeing coo of her snow-white owl. "All right then." She said sitting down. She spread out her parchment and dipped her quill into her inkbottle. Frowning with concentration, she began writing her letter.   
  
My father said yes. Be here by the fortnight.  
  
Ginny put her quill down and surveyed her short letter to her "fiancé." Shrugging, she then lightly stamped her family insignia, a single red rose, and began folding it neatly. Turning to Athena, she stood up.   
  
"Give this to Draco, dear." She whispered as she tied the letter to her owl's left leg. "And be quick. You still have more letters to deliver." She added as her owl settled on her shoulder while she opened her window. Athena gave her one last affectionate nip before speeding up into the black sky.  
  
Ginny then made her way back towards her desk to finish the rest of her letters.  
  
==========  
  
Draco made his way silently towards the manor that night. He tightened his cloak around him upon feeling the cold night air breezing past him. He shook his head remembering his recent encounter with Blaise.   
  
As he had expected, Blaise didn't take the news kindly. When he told her about the proposal, Ginny and the marriage, Blaise threw a terrible tantrum that nearly shook the whole Zabini estate into collapsing. Blaise could be terrible if she wanted to and Draco had to use a binding hex just to keep her from clawing him. The conversation turned from bad to worse when the subject of his marriage partner was brought up. Blaise demanded to know why he chose Ginny over her and Draco unfeelingly told, with a straight face, what his grandfather had said. With that, the dark-haired woman became hysterical, crying and sobbing and shouting at the same time. Even the fact that he and Ginny would eventually divorce didn't make her stop. It was just a matter of time before he was able to calm her down by saying charming, sweet nothings to her and eventually spending three full straight hours in her bed.  
  
But then, it made him wonder. He DELIBERATELY vexed Blaise. For the first time in his life, he deliberately vexed Blaise and he hadn't felt sorry about it. Even the sex they just had, it didn't feel right, unlike before. He was surprisingly not in the mood, though normally he would have been. Blaise was a stunning woman, yes. In Draco's opinion, Blaise was a certified sensual animal. She had black long hair, sharp eyes and those red pouty lips that could make any man drool… all in all, Blaise was a full-bodied woman with all the curves in the right places, voluptuous and dangerously sensual. But for the first time in his life, he found her very, very… boring.   
  
Draco shook his head as their ghost butler opened the door for him. The thing was, Blaise, with her vast sexual knowledge and prowess, Blaise who knew how to please any man she wanted, bored the hell out of him. The disturbing thing about this also was the fact that he couldn't stop thinking about a particular red-haired innocent woman, even while he was spending those full three hours with Blaise.  
  
He shook his head and made his way to his room. It was just 'boring' sex and nothing else, he assured himself. He was sure that he was capable of not feeling anything other than that. For him, the word "love" was… well, it was just rubbish. His father never loved his mother and his mother, undoubtedly, never did love his father, so what difference would "love" make to him? His mother only felt respect for his father, not love. He shuddered at the word. Love. Such a word didn't exist anymore. It was a word never used, never uttered in the Malfoy household. Even if he felt it for his mother, which was normal, considering the fact that he was her son and it was his nature's duty, he didn't actually think that he was capable of feeling it for anybody else. They were just merely toys, puppets, used for propagating a bunch of offspring that would carry on the family name and inherit the musty old fortunes of the family. It was never about love.   
  
Draco then made his way into his chamber, firmly dismissing the disturbing thoughts about his "fiancé". He was about to unclasp his cloak when he noticed a snow-white owl perched on top of his desk, waiting patiently for him. Frowning, he walked towards it and inspected its left foot.   
  
"A letter for me?" He found himself asking. He then gave the owl a sweet before brushing the heavy drapes of his open windows aside and letting it out. Then sitting down on his bed, he unfolded the letter and began scanning its content.   
  
"Hammilton!" He called out suddenly. Instantly, his ghost valet floated down from his ceiling.   
  
"Yes, Master Draco?" The ghost asked, floating before him.   
  
"Have my family robes ready by the fortnight but don't include the formal robes and everything." He instructed. Then he stopped and looked at his awaiting butler. "I'm going to ask for a lady's hand in marriage, Hammilton." He added neutrally, as if it were normal to converse with the house help about such things. He was now rummaging his drawers for his quill and parchment when he heard Hammilton's flat, unemotional "Very good, Master Draco" answer.   
  
"That will be all." He said, dismissing his valet. The ghost then nodded its transparent head and floated out of his chamber. Draco sat down and started writing his letters, one for his grandfather and one for Gringgots.   
  
He had to get this thing done early. He had a big day ahead of him. Tomorrow, he would be visiting Virginia in her office.   
  
==========  
  
"You think it wise to let Ginny marry that Malfoy, Arthur?" Molly asked as she pulled the covers over her body that same night. She moved sideways to give her husband more room.   
  
"Ginny's a big girl now, Molly." Arthur replied tiredly while removing his glasses. "And besides, what else is new? Isn't history just repeating itself?" He supplied, pulling up the covers as well.   
  
"Well yes, but why don't I feel comfortable about it?" She said stubbornly. "Past generations and all that rubbish! I don't believe a single word of it!" She scoffed.   
  
Arthur closed his eyes and leaned his head comfortably on his pillow. "Whatever you say, Molly. But don't forget it took four or five generations of your family… why, even you… wasn't it that you were involved with Lucius Malfoy? I wouldn't call it just coincidences."  
  
At that, Molly gave a tired, dejected sigh. "I guess you're right but then Ginny's… Ginny's my baby girl. Something's just not right. I just-"  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you that Ginny's not a baby anymore?" Arthur murmured tiredly. "For goodness sake! She already has her own flat, her own job and everything! And besides, things happen for a reason, Molly. Don't you forget that."  
  
"But why Ginny?" Molly answered back. "Why not me? Or my mom or Grandmother Eloise?" Then she fell silent, feeling the stillness in the house. She closed her eyes. "You know very well that it's quite natural for me to worry. I'm her mother. And I just have this funny feeling, it is really strange, why, after all these years, a Weasly and a Malfoy would finally--- " She stopped momentarily upon hearing the soft snoring noises beside her. Gritting her teeth, she opened her eyes and poked her husband in the ribs.   
  
"Arthur?" She demanded crossly. "Arthur Weasly!"  
  
Arthur snored softly again as his reply. Molly then decided to give up and close her eyes again.   
  
Her baby girl was finally getting married and the best thing that she could do was to be happy for her. Molly couldn't help but think that everything was strange, everything was going too fast. With that thought, anxiety and fear for her daughter gripped her.  
  
"Please mother, grandmother," She silently prayed. "Please protect Ginny from harm."  
  
And with that prayer, she finally drifted off the sleep while swearing to kill all the Malfoys, especially Draco, should anything bad ever happened to her Ginny.   
  
End of Part IV 


	5. The History Discussion

Author's Notes: Hi everyone!!! Again so sorry for the delay!!! ::bows:: gomen ne, gomen ne!!! But anyway, here it is! Part V and the promised G/D action!!! Hope everybody will like it!!! Another thing about this is some people may find the first part rather boring… but please understand that Draco has to show some intelligence here, awright? Well that's it!!! Thanks and please let me know what you think about this!

This chapter is for Jilly!!! Thanks for all the help!!! You always take care, girl!!!

Serpent's Bride V: The History Discussion

Ginny sat casually on top of her desk that afternoon and scanned the room before opening her mouth to speak. "And so with that important fact, who can tell me something about the wizard persecution back in the 1400's and the 1600's?" She asked her class. Although she knew that this discussion was very much against the rules of 'muggle' history teaching (since muggle history was based on facts and wizardry was an unproven thing for muggles), she just couldn't resist knowing what muggles thought about it. Ginny then nodded her head as a hand raised in the air. "Yes, Ms. Watson?" She said acknowledging her student.

"I completely disagree with it, with all due respect professor." Her student answered cordially.

Ginny's brows crinkled as she stood up from her desk and walked towards the window. She turned around and faced the class once again. "And why is that?" She asked.

 The brown-haired woman shrugged. "Well, the thing is, based on our study, I found that wizard persecution was an inhumane way… well, that is, to treat a human being. Whether witchcraft or wizardry is a proven fact or not, I don't see any importance in it. Nobody deserves to be accused or treated that way." She replied. Ginny raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow as murmurs of agreements erupted inside the classroom. 

"But then, you very well know that if wizardry is true, it would be dangerous for mug— I mean, non-wizards, right?" She pressed.

"Well, even if it is true I wouldn't blame the wizards for putting hexes and curses. Being mistreated will surely make them do it." Her student answered shrugging.

"Okay, I get your point." Ginny said nodding her head. Her student gave a satisfied smile and waited for her next statement. "But let me put it this way. What if I tell you that a witch purposely hexed a non-wizard just because she didn't like his face?" She asked challengingly. "You still think it's humane? What if that witch, if you were living back in the past, changed you into a toad because she didn't like your face? Or because she was bored and had nothing better to do? Wouldn't you join the wizard persecution movement then considering that you yourself was a victim?

"I don't believe such a person would do that just for the fun and amusement of it." The girl replied hastily. At that, Ginny smiled.

 "Then I think congratulations are in order, Ms. Watson." She said professionally. "You are now the certified president for the humanitarian crusader for humans and witches alike." She added. With that, the class laughed. Ginny chuckled. "But then, it was really good to see that one of my students has a thing for equality in rights and such. That was a very good statement, Ms. Watson." She added.

"Thank you." Her student said amiably.

Ginny nodded her head and purposely walked back to her table. She then sat again on top of her desk and rested her right elbow on top of her right knee. "Any other opinions? How about the men?" She asked her class, her eyes scanning the multi-colored heads before her again. "How about you, Mr. Rochester? What can you say about this?" She asked the dark-haired man with tanned skin.

Her student slowly shook his head. "I really don't know, Professor." He started to say. "It's really hard to give out concrete answers without concrete facts." He stated.

Ginny found herself chuckling mentally. "If you only knew." She thought. "If you only knew that the person sitting before you is a witch...

"I second that opinion." Another student with blond hair quipped. "This is history and facts should be dealt here, don't you think?" And then the class went silent, each having their own thoughts.

Ginny smiled and nodded her head. She was about to answer when a very familiar voice suddenly rang inside the stillness of the classroom.

"I beg to disagree, if you don't mind."

Ginny looked up and instantly her brown eyes widened with shock. Draco, upon meeting her eyes, raised his eyebrows and nodded his head, a tiny smile lighting up his well-chiseled face. He stepped inside the classroom, closing the door gently behind him. Immediately, whispers and murmurs of confusion filled the room. All eyes then turned to her, waiting for her to say something.

_"What is he doing here?" Ginny mentally hissed. She stared at him unbelievingly as he strode inside her classroom like he truly belonged there. Her eyes followed his tall, elegant frame as he purposely walked towards the blond woman. But then… her brown eyes softened. Was this the same Draco Malfoy she met twelve years ago? She found herself asking wonderingly. _

Unwillingly, she found her eyes feasting over his face. She couldn't help but notice the amused smile lighting up his gray eyes, making them twinkle, changing its lonely gray color to a sparkling silver. Her eyes then went to his perfectly shaped nose then to his lips, those lips that were always set in an arrogant smirk. For the first time, Ginny noticed the perfect contour of his face, his strong chin, and his fine, blond hair that was always brushed up neatly, tucked behind his ears... She even wondered how it would feel against her fingertips. And the way he moved or walked—it was so very, very… smooth and suave and drop-dead sexy. There was an air of arrogant confidence about him. All in all, Ginny thought about the rat-faced pale boy she had seen twelve or eleven years ago and she could really say that that rat-faced pale boy really grew up to be a good-looking man, a handsome man, just like the ugly duckling who turned into a very beautiful swan in some muggle fairy tale book her dad once read to her. Realizations struck her. She would be marrying one of the best-looking guys in the wizarding world! Now that was really… something. 

_"Stop it! What is happening to you? This is Draco Malfoy we're talking about! Are you out of your mind?" Her brain screamed. And with that, Ginny forced some common sense inside her head and frowned with much disapproval. But all that common sense crap ended when she saw the predatory look of her female students, all eyeing Draco with appreciation._

"Wow! What a hottie!" Ginny even heard one of her students gasped. 

"Who's the guy?" One brunette asked.

"Does Ms. Weasley know him?"

"I don't care as long as he's not 'personally' involved with her." A woman with short black hair answered back, her eyes not leaving Draco. Draco's face lit up with subtle pleasure and amusement upon hearing the 'appreciative' whispers about him. He looked at Ginny, who was currently staring at him, lost in her thoughts, and winked.

"You won't mind I'm sure, Virginia? Draco asked and without waiting for her answer, he smiled charmingly and made his way towards the blond woman. The woman, upon seeing his handsome form before her, smiled and giggled coquettishly. 

"I understand that you are taking up history here, am I right um--- " Draco started, looking at her expectantly.

The woman raked her blue eyes first over his face, then to his black Armani suit then back to his face again. Draco didn't miss the look of raw 'hunger' in them. "Welsh. Melissa Welsh." The woman replied finally, batting an eyelash. Ginny tried her best to keep a straight face upon hearing the woman's syrupy voice.

Draco nodded his head. "Ms. Welsh it is, then. Pleasure to meet you." He said gallantly. Ginny's jaw dropped when Draco proceeded to take her student's hand and kiss it lightly. The woman gave an audible gasp of surprise and pleasure.

"Likewise I'm sure." Melissa replied in a low, raspy kind of voice. Draco in turn, found himself ignoring the sexy drawl that came out her lips, much to his surprise.

"But you will excuse me if I beg to disagree, won't you?" He asked pleasantly finally letting of her hand.

The woman, her eyes wide as saucers, started nodding her head earnestly. "By all means yes. Yes, of course." She replied breathlessly.

Ginny immediately stood up from her desk and walked towards him, forcing out a smile. "Malfoy." She greeted taking his arm with forced cheerfulness. "What a pleasant surprise." She said her brown eyes smiling but flashing with annoyance at the same time. "What are you doing here?" She then demanded through gritted teeth, determined to end this 'nonsense' right now.

But before Draco could reply, Melissa Welsh spoke. "Why do you disagree?" She asked wonderingly.

Ginny shook her head and turned to her student, her eyes turning cold. "Mr. Malfoy is not a part of our class, Ms. Welsh." She said authoritatively, her nerves coiling together. Then turning to Draco, she hissed. "Wait for me in the faculty lounge."

"But he seems like a very 'interesting' fellow." Melissa stubbornly said. Then she looked behind her. "I think the whole class would not object to hearing out what he has to say?" She asked, her perfectly arched eyebrows raised in question. When all the female students nodded their heads in agreement, voicing out an audible 'yes' and 'right' and all the men shaking their heads and rolling their eyes with a hint of unhidden interest in them, she turned to Ginny once again and smiled. "And besides, I think that his opinion in this matter is for educational purposes. " With that, Draco turned to Melissa and raised one eyebrow questioningly. Melissa, in turn, smiled and winked. Turning back to Ginny, Draco gave her a winning smile. Ginny just scowled, defeated. Finally she nodded her head and turned her whole attention to her class. 

"If the whole class wishes to hear Mr. Malfoy out, though I couldn't see what difference and importance this would make in the subject discussion—" She paused and glowered at him. Draco just gave her an innocent smile, saying nothing. "Then by all means, let us hear him out." She continued through gritted teeth. Looking at Draco, she forced out a smile. "Mr. Malfoy?" She asked professionally, signaling for him to start.

"Does he have a first name?" One light voice asked. Ginny fought for control. Draco pursed his lips, trying hard not to laugh. He couldn't help but notice that Virginia looked quite pretty when irritated.

"Yes." She answered with forced patience. "His name is Draco Malfoy." 

"Draco Edward Malfoy." Draco supplied. He smiled charmingly at the girl who looked away bashfully. At that moment, Draco knew he had made another conquest. Ginny shook her head with obvious irritation, muttering an audible 'whatever' and made her way back towards her desk. 

Draco cleared his throat and faced the whole class. "Right, then." He began. He momentarily scanned the group before speaking. "When I said 'I beg to disagree' I didn't actually mean that wizardry is entirely true." He paused, studying the heads bobbing up and down before him.

_"This is stupid."_  Ginny thought with disgust upon seeing the rapt attention her female students gave Draco.

"But then, I'm also not saying that wizardry is entirely false." He continued, walking towards the black board. "Now you may wonder what my stand on this, but I can only say that this witch thing sprang up because of undeniable statements which some people in the past claimed to be true and some people in the past claimed to be false." He said.

"So, you're saying that it could be true and it could be false?" One guy with red hair asked pompously. 

Draco nodded his head, frowning. Strangely, he remembered Ron Weasley with this boy. "Pretty much, yes." He said. "Haven't you wondered why we study Greek mythology even though we all know that everything about those gods and goddesses are a myth?" He asked. When the class shook their heads, Draco cleared his throat and nodded. "Well, aside from the fact that it has a very splendid story of how things began, it was actually part of Greece's culture and people study Greek culture because they want to trace back the roots of their being. Surely, we can't deny the fact the Greece was one of the pioneers when it comes to study of the important sciences, am I correct? And that study of sciences, according to the ancient people of Greece, wouldn't have been possible without those gods and goddesses. Now, studying them today gives us an insight of how people were before. Other than the proven fact that that they were completely bonkers at that time, " He paused as giggles and chuckles rang inside the classroom. 

"This is so unbelievable!" Ginny thought. How the hell did he know about Greek mythology and muggle studies? She asked herself with astonishment. And the fact that he was charming the whole class--!

"Well, everything was really just for the sake of worthwhile study or research. Why? Because people found written scriptures and documents about those gods and goddesses. Whether those gods and goddesses really did exist, mind you that it was said that Zeus, the almighty god of all mortal and immortals, was banished when God came, it really didn't matter to people who found the subject worth studying." He continued as he walked back and forth in front of the whole class, just like a true professor. "Just like our subject discussion now, wizardry, whether true or false, have become a part of our country's culture. Some claimed it was true, others claimed it was false but to the researcher, well, he doesn't care." Draco stopped and took a deep breath. "As long as there is written documents stating the truth or the falsity of this matter, people still study about them, right. Why? Because as I've said, it's a part of our culture and the study of culture is a part of history and from what I understand, you are all studying--" He paused and smiled. "History." And with that last statement, murmurs of agreement erupted inside the classroom.

Ginny's jaw dropped with mixed amazement and annoyance. The man was able to spin a good argument by logically asking and answering the whole class! What the class didn't know was that Draco, by stating some mythological rubbish and facts, was able to trap them by saying that truth and falsity don't matter. He was able to point out that the subject was worth discussing because it was a part of Europe's culture and undeniably, the study of history included the study of culture and not because of whether it was true or false. Although she hated to admit it, Draco really did well. 

"But if we say wizardry, it involves magic, right?" The girl named Melissa interjected after a moment's pause. Ginny turned to Draco expectantly, smiling inwardly. 

"Let's see you pull yourself out of this, Malfoy." She thought. She just knew what muggles thought about magic.

Draco nodded his head. "Well, yes it does." He answered casually.

"But—" Melissa began frowning. "There's no such thing as magic, right?" She continued. "Magic tricks maybe, but magic?"

At that, Draco smiled and walked towards her. "Oh really now?" He asked smoothly. Warning bells immediately rang inside Ginny's head upon seeing the predatory smile that grazed Draco's feature. She immediately stood up.

"Draco?" She called. But Draco ignored her as he advanced towards Melissa, his eyes glistening. "Draco, you—"

"Magic is just for children, am I right? Only children believe that magic does exist." Melissa prompted. At that moment, Ginny wished that Melissa would just shut her mouth up. "You have no idea on what you're up against." She thought hurrying towards him.

"So you don't believe in magic, eh Ms. Welsh?" Draco said now fully standing before her. When the girl shook her head, Draco held his hands before her face, his eyes narrowing. The whole class waited in earnest as if stupidly expecting that Draco 'could' really do magic. The faces before Ginny told her that her students were actually waiting to see if Draco would turn Melissa into a toad or something.

"Draco, what do you think you're—" She began with alarm, seeing the determined look on his face. Then to her horror, Draco's right hand went to the girl's ear. 

"If magic is just for children," Draco began staring at the confused face of the girl before her. Clearly, the girl had no idea on what was bound to happen. Ginny was about to go back to her desk for her wand to counteract whatever Draco had in store for her when she heard Draco say 'Then what's that behind your ear?' then a giggle and then an applause and laughter. Ginny turned around only to see Draco handing Melissa a single white rose and Melissa giggling and blushing at the same time. It was without a doubt that Draco had won her students over! That did it! Ginny's temper snapped.

"What do you think you're doing?" She demanded crossly. With that sudden outburst, the class immediately fell silent. Ginny's eyes narrowed angrily, not even caring what her students would think. Just then Draco smiled. "She now believes in magic, Gin." He answered. Then before she knew it, Draco strode towards her and held her by the waist. "You aren't jealous, are you Virginia?" he drawled.

"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked nervously while squirming from his grasp. "You will stop this nonsense right now and you will let go of me." She added softly with forced calmness. Draco just chuckled and turned to the whole class who were watching them as if they were a bunch of weird bunny rabbits in a zoo.

"I would like to make a happy announcement." He began, not letting go of her. Ginny forced a smile while standing rigid beside him. "Just as everybody should know, I and your professor, Virginia, are engaged to be married any time now. I just thought I'd dropped by to see how my fiancé's doing." He added. And with that, to Ginny's surprise, the class applauded and hooted while some gasped with disbelief with Melissa Welsh having the loudest gasp of all, a very repulsive gasp with her mouth hanging wide open. Draco smiled and turned his back to the class. Ginny faced him angrily. "You will leave this classroom now and we shall discuss—"

"Orchideous Rosarios" 

Instantly, a single red rose stemmed out of Draco's wand tip. It was so fast that she didn't even notice that he took his wand out. He then hastily shoved his wand back into his jacket pocket and smiled at Ginny who was looking at him, stunned. He turned to the class and showed them the rose. To Ginny's surprise, he offered it to her.

"For you." He whispered. The class roared with approval. It was without a doubt that the class thought it cute. "Happy now?"

Ginny looked at the awaiting expression of the whole class before her. Seeing that she had no other choice, she reluctantly held her hand and took the rose. "Thank you." She said. Then taking him by the arm and pulling him with her she said. "Now, will you please wait in the faculty lounge and —" They were already by the door when suddenly the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. As if on cue, the students stood up, all ready to leave. Ginny stopped and looked at her departing students stupidly.

"That was a very good argument, Mr. Malfoy." One of the men said while walking towards the door.

"I can't believe he's engaged." Melissa Welsh couldn't help saying. She looked darkly at Ginny and haughtily made her way outside the classroom. 

"Where the hell did he get the rose?" One guy asked.

Ginny blinked as she felt the rustling of people leaving around her. She then focused her attention back to her departing class.

"Don't forget," She called out. "Essay about the fifteen most decisive battles that changed the course of history. That's for tomorrow."

Groans of displeasure and complaints followed the announcement as her class drifted away one by one till there was only the two of them left. Once alone, Ginny turned to Draco and angrily slapped him with the rose. "Who do you think you are, bursting inside my classroom like that?" She demanded crossly.

"You very well know that that rose is going to cost me a warning and a fine in the Ministry, right?" Draco asked smoothly as he held the rose out to her. "The least you could do is to appreciate it." He added. 

"Well, I don't care!" Ginny snapped. "You deserve it! You knew that it was against the rules to do magic here!" She added spitefully.

Draco smiled upon seeing the fury written across her face. "Do you know that you suddenly remind me of Professor McGonagall?" He asked delicately instead. "A much prettier Professor McGonagall, that is." He added smoothly. 

Ginny fell silent at this, an unwilling blush creeping up to her face. "This man is so unbelievable!" She silently screamed. 

Draco chuckled. Indeed, now he was beginning to enjoy annoying her! She would be angry and cross at one moment, then shy and tongue-tied the next. What an interesting woman this Weasley was. 

Ginny, upon hearing his amused laugh, frowned angrily. "What are you doing here anyway?" She asked again. She walked briskly back to her desk. Her back to him, she hastily gathered her books and arranged her table, muttering out her displeasure again and again. Finally emptying her desk with her things, her papers stacked neatly in one corner, she turned around only to find Draco just inches away from her, staring at her, the look of amusement completely replaced with the same intensity he showed her the night he proposed. She swallowed hard upon feeling the heat rushing up to her cheeks, spreading down her body like wildfire. She stared at him, her eyes reluctantly locking with his. Good god! Why does she feel like liquid fire every time Draco looks at her like this?

"Tell me." Draco began, his voice soft, almost caressingly. Ginny closed her eyes momentarily upon feeling the same usual fervent atmosphere every time their eyes met. "When did it become a crime to visit my fiancé?" He added advancing towards her, closing the space between them.

"You— disrupted—" Ginny began, her breathing becoming fast. "my class." She finally said. 

"Really?" He drawled softly, his eyes not leaving hers. He placed his hands on her desk, trapping her whole frame between them. He leaned closer. "But you can't deny the fact that it was a good and 'educational' disruption, right?" He asked.

Ginny looked at him. "I— I don't think that—" 

"Tell me, Virginia." Draco interrupted as he stared at her lazily. "Did you miss me?"

"Don't—" Ginny paused and swallowed hard. She totally hated it whenever Draco looked at her and said her name that way. "-flatter yourself, Malfoy." She said breathlessly.

"So it's Malfoy, already?" He asked. "You're not a good liar, do you know that?" Draco moved his face closer to hers. Ginny found herself not thinking anymore as she closed her eyes and waited for his lips to touch her own. She leaned her face closer to his when suddenly she heard him chuckling softly.

"I'm hungry. Won't you like to have a late lunch with me?"

Ginny's eyes snapped open only to see Draco walking away from her. Her mouth dropped as a mixture of annoyance, disappointment, disbelief and anger crashed at her simultaneously as she stood there, not moving. "That asshole!" Her body screamed.

"Coming?" Draco asked, turning around upon feeling her not beside him. He raised his eyebrows at her, hiding his amusement.

"You—you are so—" Ginny began.

"What?" He asked. Ginny just shook her head and went for her things instead. Draco walked back to her. He was about to take her books from her when Ginny yanked her arm away from his.

"I can do this, thank you." She said stiffly, her face feeling hot. She walked briskly past him, making her way towards the door. Draco suppressed a laugh as he hastily followed her. With his tall frame, it only took him a couple of strides to reach the door before her.

"After you." He said, opening the door for her and gesturing for her to go first. Ginny looked daggers at him but nevertheless she stepped out without turning back. 

Draco closed the door behind him and looked at her departing figure. "Right, then." He said silently as he wordlessly followed her, no doubt on her way to the faculty lounge.

==========

"I've already written a letter to my grandfather, as a matter of fact." Draco began as he delicately cut his steak to bits and pieces. "Of course, he wants to see you but he agreed that it would be more proper if I saw your family first." He paused as he took a bite of his succulent steak.

Ginny sat there, not saying anything. Even with the nice and romantic (since the light was dim and there were candles on the tables emanating a romantic yellowish hue) ambiance of this Italian restaurant, Ginny felt her insides burning with rage upon seeing the calm and neutral look on Draco's face.

"Stupid git!" She found herself thinking as she remembered the kiss they nearly had earlier. She took her wineglass and drowned its contents. He was deliberately teasing her. And to her horror, she realized that yes, she had WANTED for him to kiss her! And the fact that Draco seemed unaffected by it! He even found it amusing! With that thought, Ginny filled her glass again and drank quickly.

Draco, upon seeing this, raised his eyebrow. "It would go better with the steak, I assure you." He said.

"No, I'm not hungry." Ginny replied civilly, staring at the plate before her. Just thinking about her behavior a while ago was enough to make her lose her appetite.

"Suit yourself." He said, his eyes going back to his food. "But you don't know what you're missing."

Ginny looked at him crossly. "Since when does Draco Malfoy find muggle food good?" She asked viciously.

Draco looked up. "Well, we used to have muggle prepared steak back in the manor." He replied smoothly. He paused and took a sip of his wine. "Muggle food and wizard food, there's no difference really. Some taste good, some taste horrible."

"This is insane." Ginny muttered, shaking her head. 

"Depends on what you mean by it." He answered back. "I hardly find having this late lunch with you insane."

"Oh, because you're used to having dates that are annoyed and cross sitting across from you while watching you wolf down your food?" She asked nastily.

Draco looked at her and smiled. "Whatever you say." He replied turning back to his food.

With that, Ginny frowned with disbelief, her mouth half-opened. "You are so—despicable." She said shaking her head. Draco just shrugged. 

They continued the meal in silence with Draco finishing his steak and Ginny drinking her wine and poking her food with her fork listlessly. After a moment, Draco wiped his mouth delicately with the table napkin, asked and paid for the bill and stood up. Ginny was about to stand up realizing that he had already finished his meal but Draco was fast. He immediately stood behind her and assisted her up from her seat.

"Don't do that." Ginny snapped.

"Why?" He asked deliberately. "It is customary for a man to assist the lady when leaving." He added as if she were stupid.... again. Ginny hated it when he did that.

"Well, it's not you." Ginny spitefully said as she made her way towards the restaurant's glass door. "Stop pretending and be the same miserable git I used to know." She added nastily.

Draco chuckled without humor and held her coat before her. "Oh, I still am, believe me." He drawled. Ginny stared at him coldly though she saw no other choice but to let him drape her coat on her. "You never knew but I was raised to respect the ladies, you know."

"Oh really?" Ginny said, sarcasm dripping from her words. "Then what do you call that skirt-lifting shit you did to me back then?" She asked stepping out the restaurant with Draco following her. 

Draco raised his eyebrows. He casually slid his hands inside his pockets and walked beside her. "Well, come to think of it…" He began thoughtfully. Then he grinned. "Crabbe did that and not me." He answered finally. "You have great legs, by the way." He added nonchalantly as they crossed the street.

"I don't believe you!" Ginny said but in reality she felt like screaming and hitting him hard on his groin. 

"Oh, I know when I see great legs, Weasley. So believe me when I say 'you have great legs'." 

"Not that, you idiot!" She hissed.

Draco stopped and looked at her innocently. "What then?" He asked.

Ginny was about to say something nasty when she decided just to shake her head tiredly. "You're deliberately annoying me, aren't you?" She asked.

"What makes you say that?" Draco asked frowning. "I just gave you a compliment, right?" Oh he just loved annoying her!

"Oh, don't act like I was lucky you gave me a compliment!" Ginny said tiredly as Draco let her go first through the revolving doors of her flat's building. She crossly made her way up to her flat.

"I give compliments all the time." He replied. "To those who deserve them, that is." He added as they reached her door.

Ginny stopped and turned to him. "Go away." She sighed tiredly. "This has been the craziest and not to mention, the most annoying day of my life. So would you just please spare me the—"

"Do you really want me to?" He drawled moving closer to her again. 

But instead of taking a deep, heated breath, Ginny stepped away from him. "Oh no you don't!" She began. "You're not doing that again and—"

Draco smiled lazily and quickly shushed her by placing his lips on hers. At first, Ginny's eyes widened with surprise. She opened her mouth to muffle out her displeasure but Draco took the opportunity to slide his tongue inside her mouth, coaxing her to respond.

Upon feeling the sensuous movement of his lips against hers, Ginny reluctantly found herself closing her eyes, her hands trailing to his neck, then to his hair, kneading his fine silver strands. She gasped when she felt his strong hands moving down to her waist only to pull her closer to him, so close that she felt his quickening arousal throbbing against her. Instantly, fear and excitement rushed inside her. Without thinking, she placed her hands against his shirt and began yanking it, her fingers clumsily unbuttoning them.

When Draco felt the heated movement of her hands and the sensual flick of her tongue against his, he groaned and was about to place his hands on her breasts when danger signals suddenly began to ring inside his head. He reluctantly pulled himself away from her, breathing hard. He smiled and looked at her lazily, desperately trying to hide the hot aching need his body was screaming for.

"Not in here, Virginia." He drawled.

"Wha—" Ginny gasped out. She couldn't help but frown with displeasure and disappointment. Draco gently pried her hands away from his shirt. Ginny felt her knees weakening as she reluctantly slumped her body against his, her head on his shoulders.

"Soon, Weasley, soon." He said, his voice rich with promise.

Ginny took a deep calming breath and frowned. "I hate you." She whispered. "Don't you ever, ever do that again or I'll kill you."

But Draco only smiled, knowing that she hadn't meant it. He gently steadied her and took his wand out. "Isn't that what you wanted?" He asked. When Ginny fell silent, he stepped back. "I'll see you tomorrow." And with that, he disapparated, leaving Ginny alone in the empty hall.

  


End of Part 5 


	6. Wines and Liquors

Hi everyone! So this is it!!! Chapter VI! Hope everybody will like it though its unusually long compared to the other chapters. Anyway, this chapter is for Fred, my beta-reader. Fred, I'm so, so sorry I wasn't able to send this to you. I'm having problems with my hotmail account and your e-mail addy is in their. But anyway, this chapter is for you, k?

And special thanks to my other beta-readers, Alli-chan, Hedwig aka Jilly and Violetjersey!!! Thanks a lot!!!

**__**

Serpent's Bride VI: Wines and Liquors 

Vladimir Malfoy sighed comfortably as he settled himself in his favorite couch with his favorite book, sipping his favorite wine in front of the cheerful fire that night. Nothing could be better, he thought. After receiving Draco's letter two weeks before, Vladimir couldn't think of anything but the nearing engagement party and the wedding of his one and only grandson. 

He put the book down momentarily and lifted his wineglass, taking a small sip of the potent liquid. He frowned a little as he felt the heat of the alcohol sipping down through his throat only to settle inside his stomach. He chuckled. Did Draco think he was stupid? 

It was never a doubt that there is something really fishy going on about this nearing wedding. No matter how Draco says or proves that he has already abandoned his philandering ways, still Vladimir couldn't help but think that Draco's still not being entirely that 'honest'. He chuckled again and lifted his book.

"Thinks he can fool ol' Vlad." He muttered. "Bloody git! Didn't know that I was once as rotten as he is!" He added. He was about to take another sip of his wine when suddenly his ghost valet floated through the chamber's heavy doors. Vladimir looked up, his eyebrows raised in question.

"Yes, Fields?" He asked.

"Mr. Chandler here to see you, sir." His valet replied without emotion.

"Ah yes, Chandler." Vladimir said standing up. "I'm expecting him. Send him in, send him in!" He added.

"Very well, Master Malfoy." Fields said and with that, he floated again past the doors completely disappearing from his sight. Vladimir smoothed his hair and stood there waiting. After a moment, the doors of his chamber opened and Bartholomew Chandler stepped in.

"Bart, ol' chap!" Vladimir boomed walking towards the slightly small man and giving him a hearty slap on the back as his greeting. The man slightly staggered forward at the force of Vlad's big hand hitting him on his shoulders. "How are yeh?"

Bartholomew Chandler stood there, his over-bearing coat carelessly slung over his hunched shoulders. He let his beady black eyes rake suspiciously around the gloomy chamber before letting it rest on Vladimir's cheerful face, his lips set in a thin line. Vladimir frowned slightly since Chandler never did bother taking off his coat. His frown deepened when he noticed that Chandler wasn't even bothered by how hot and humid it was inside his chamber.

Vladimir couldn't help but notice the heavy fabric of the same shabby-looking coat on his trusted man. It was really a wonder why Chandler preferred coats rather than the cloak most wizards normally wore. The strange thing about this man was also the fact that he always refused the coats Vladimir gave him. But then judging from his fidgety disposition, eyeing everything around him with suspicion, it was really not a wonder why most of the wizards thought Bartholomew Chandler was either weird or creepy. It was a known fact that almost everybody even thought that Vladimir was out of his wits when he decided to hire this lunatic-looking man to work for him. Vladimir admitted that he took a gamble hiring a man of such character but after sixteen years of loyal and good service, Vladimir was sure he did the right thing.

"What have you got for me, Bart?" He asked jovially as he took out his pipe. He paused a while, placing the wooden pipe between his lips and lighting it with this wand. "I hope it's worth my while." He muffled against the pipe.

Chandler grinned - a very eerie grin - showing the wide black gaps of his teeth. "Indeed, Master Malfoy." He said in his usual oily voice. "I think that you would find this most interesting." He supplied as he lightly scratched his long hooked nose.

Vladimir frowned and blew a cloud of smoke from his lips. "Then say it, man." He said loudly. 

"I have kept an eye out for the young Master Draco as you have ordered." He began, his beady eyes yet again scanning the chamber before setting on his master's face. "Apparently, the young Master Malfoy has been seeing this woman." He replied, pacing inside the room back and forth. "It was the same red-haired woman I saw the day before yesterday and the day-- well, I think that-- "

"Yes?" Vladimir interrupted earnestly. "Go on, go on!" 

"Well, I-- I think that the young Master Malfoy and this red-haired woman are currently, in Muggle terms, going out." Chandler finished, not quite sure if he had used the right word. He crinkled his brows and stopped in his tracks only to scratch again his nose, a thing he seemed to be fond of doing.

Vladimir nodded his head thoughtfully. "Yes, yes…" He murmured absently as he stride towards his desk with the white smoke of his cigar trailing behind him. He then stopped and faced Chandler sharply. "Was it the same woman?"

Chandler nodded his head. "Yes, positive." He answered. "It was the same woman I saw a month before." Then his servant scratched his head. "Might I ask why Master Malfoy takes a great interest on young Master Draco's affair?" He inquired carefully.

Vladimir looked at him and said, "I just don't want to be fooled by that boy, Chandler." He growled. Chandler nodded once, accepting the vague answer. He then bowed slightly. 

"Would there be anything else, Master?" He asked.

Vladimir shook his head as he lightly bit his pipe. "No, that will be all." He answered.

"Very well then." Chandler said. He began exiting the chamber, leaving a trail of mud on Vladimir's clean rug. Once alone, the part-vampire shook his head and muttered out audible curses. He swished his wand and instantly the muddy spots on his rug vanished. Surveying his now clean rug, Vladimir gave a satisfied grunt and settled himself back again on his couch. He was about to lift his book up again when an idea suddenly sprang up in his mind. He smiled wickedly.

"Fields!" He called out in his heavy booming voice. Instantly, his ghost valet appeared before him, its face wearing the same usual flat statement.

"You called, sir?" The ghost asked in its aged voice.

Vladimir nodded his head. "Have Henry Walters here." He said authoritatively. 

Fields nodded. "At what time, may I ask, sir?" His valet asked politely.

Vladimir looked up and scratched his head lightly. "At about nine in the evening… " he answered, his voice trailing thoughtfully. After a moment's pause, he turned his eyes to the transparent form of his valet and nodded his head. "Yes, have him here by nine o'clock, evening." 

His valet once again nodded his head. "Very well, Master Malfoy." It said, floating backwards, facing him. "Would there be anything else?"

"No." Vladimir answered, waving his right hand as a sign of dismissal. "That will be all."

At that, his ghost valet nodded its head and disappeared in the room, passing smoothly through the wall. Vladimir Malfoy then lifted his book up again and resumed his reading, thinking that his grandson would have the biggest surprise of his life.

==========

Ginny bit her lip nervously as she surveyed the grumpy faces of her brothers (except Bill) before her. Ron was sitting in between Charlie and Bill Weasley, his arms crossed, a flicker of a nasty smile tugging his lips. Charlie Weasley looked at his watch, whistled softly and decided to busy himself with the Daily Prophet, lying carelessly on the coffee table. Bill, on the other hand, looked at Ginny, met her eyes and smiled kindly and reassuringly. Of all her brothers, it seems that only Bill was the one happy about her coming wedding, which left her more guilty than ever. Dismissing such thoughts, she forced out a smile, took a deep calming breath and turned her eyes to her watch. 7:30 it read. Ginny let out a soft curse and stood up, making her way towards the window.

"Where the hell is he?" She thought furiously. She brushed the window curtain aside and stared outside, the black darkness welcoming her eyes. No Draco. She bit her lip as worry and anger filled her. What is taking Draco so long?

"I think the bastard won't show up." Ron said casually after a moment. He looked at his watch and sighed. "Face it Gin, the guy's one bloody git. He probably-- "

Ginny turned to him and frowned angrily. "He WILL show up!" She almost shouted. Ron's green eyes widened with surprise at her sudden outburst. Ginny, upon seeing the astonished look on her brother's face, turned away and looked out the window again. "He will show up." Then she looked at her father whom was busying himself with his newest Muggle purchase – a cell phone. Ginny frowned slightly as she watched her father tapping his wand against it, taking it apart. When Arthur Weasley felt Ginny watching him, he looked up and smiled. 

"Don't worry, honey." Her father said. "I'm sure Draco will be here any minute now." He added, smiling reassuringly.

Ginny shook her head. "But that's not the point, Dad." She said. "I'm sure he will be here but he is late! He was never late!" She paused remembering the many times he would just drop by the faculty lounge almost everyday, always after class, always right on time. At that, Ginny looked out the window again. 

Still no Draco.

Ginny sighed dejectedly and made her way back towards the couch, opposite Bill, grumbling audibly. Charlie looked up from his reading and raised his eyebrows. 

"You worried about the Malfoy kid, Gin?" He asked. 

Ginny turned to him and frowned, surprised at his sudden question. Then remembering the deal she made with Draco and the awful masquerade they're playing, Ginny slowly nodded her head. "Well, of course I'm worried." She replied. "He's my fiancé and he is still not here! Of course I'm worried!" She added in a shrill voice. 

Charlie raised both of his hands as a sign of surrender. "All right, all right, I was just asking." He cried. Then he rolled his eyes upwards with exasperation. "Geez, Gin, you don't have to bite my head off like that."

Despite of the tension and nervousness, and the worry Draco's causing her, Ginny's eyes softened. Then without a word, she sighed and turned away from the astounded look her brothers gave her. She was half-tempted to apologize for snapping at Charlie like that but to her surprise no words of apology came out of her mouth. Then much to her surprise, she found herself really worried and anxious about Draco. Not just because tonight will be night he would formally ask for her hand in marriage, making their grand charade come to pass, but because of the fact that HE wasn't here yet. Because of the fact that being this so late wasn't like Draco at all! She shifted anxiously from her seat. What if something happened to him? What if something horrible happened to him on his way here? But then, he would always prefer apparating, right? But if he did apparate, why isn't he here yet? So then maybe he didn't apparate at all? Or maybe he had just decided to back out of the deal? Just what would she say to her family? And how about the children then? Ginny sighed. So many questions… Since when did she start worrying about him anyway? Then as if on cue, she remembered the almost crazy week she had spent with him.

After that rude interruption he had made just two weeks ago, Ginny found herself spending almost all of her time with Draco on a daily basis. Although, she was thankful enough that he had finally gotten rid of "bursting inside her class unannounced", she still couldn't say that she was happy or vexed during those days she was with him. It was neither sad nor delightful, really. For her, it was something else… awakening maybe… 

Ginny couldn't deny the fact that she had known something about Draco Malfoy during those days she spent with him. Something her brother, Hermione, Harry or everybody else hadn't known. She had learned, much to her surprise, that Draco wasn't really the ultimate stuck-up, bastard everybody at Hogwarts hated (except for the Slytherins, of course). She had found out that he was a nice man, in a weird sort of way. For once, Draco acted like a rotten prat because of his father. Just knowing what happened during the war, with him turning his back on his father and the Dark Lord, was enough to convince her that Draco was just someone who had not been given a choice. Lucius Malfoy expected his son to be just like him, to follow in his footsteps and in order to please his father and for him to get through school, Draco became the most unbearable kid in Hogwarts. But she noticed that after graduation, just as he could now support himself, he suddenly went astray, not bowing to his father's wishes anymore. Somehow, she surmised that the rotten attitude that Lucius taught and showed to his son had been instilled so deeply within… it was never forgotten. The fact that he was also surrounded by Dark Magic during the last seventeen years of his life didn't help either for him to turn in a new leaf completely. Although Draco now tends to be approachable, oftentimes tolerable, there were just times that he couldn't help being terrible and appalling.

Another thing that she had discovered about Draco was that he was actually well… sensitive. She frowned at the word. Sensitive? Draco Malfoy? But then… she shook her head. Although she hated to admit, Draco was really sensitive when it came to other's needs especially when it came to their feelings. Although Draco tended to be a stupid idiot by DELIBERATELY annoying, vexing or worse, hurting other people, she still was sure that he was well AWARE of what damage he did and how cruel he was. But then again, he was Draco Malfoy, right? And Draco Malfoy was known for being that way. Ginny shook her head again. No, he is just plain stupid and hard-headed. She thought. She could even say that he was sensitive when it came to her wants… Her face suddenly darkened as she remembered the heated kiss they shared the first time they went out. 

"Isn't this what you wanted?"

Just remembering that kiss brought again dozens of unanswered questions inside her head. She couldn't deny the fact that if Draco had gone on and on, 'something' might have had happened between them. It was like, she keeps on forgetting herself everytime he kisses her or touches her like that. It was so addictive. She never felt that with Harry or Seamus (when they were still going out)… she had kissed other guys… but with Draco… it felt so-- Ginny unconsciously brought her fingers to her lips-- It felt so forbidden… so deliciously wicked. But then why did he suddenly pull away? There was no doubt that Draco liked kissing her, right? Just hearing him groan with pleasure or feeling how his hands had purposely wrapped around her and pulled her closer to him was enough to convince her that he also wanted it… but then… why did he suddenly pulled away? And after that, although they tend to share kisses now and then (most were 'unintentional'), it was as if he was keeping a certain distance. Those kisses were just… mere kisses. So much unlike that searing kiss that kept her wide awake each night. Surprisingly the thought hurt her. Did Draco find her unattractive? Or was he seeing someone other than her? What's more… could she be already fancying him?

"No!" She heard her mind screaming. "It has something to do with your blasted feminine ego, Virginia Weasley! That's it! Just your blasted feminine ego! Of course you know you're not the only woman he had kissed, right? So that's just about your ego… your ego being hurt and not you, you nitwit!" It reiterated.

"Hey Gin!" Ron called softly, tapping her lightly on the shoulder. 

Ginny jolted back to reality, blinked her eyes and was surprised to find her brothers looking at her strangely. She frowned. "What is it? Why?"

Ron frowned at her with confusion. "What's up with you, Gin?" He asked. "You've been giving us that face again." 

Ginny frowned back. "What face? What do you mean?" She asked wonderingly. Bill pursed his lips as if trying hard not to laugh. Ginny's frown deepened. "What is it?" She demanded.

Charlie gave a long, low whistle. "Ooh, the spoiled, bratty Ginny strikes back." He teased. "You keep on making strange faces as if you're being possessed or something. One moment you frown then the next you growl then you shake your head then you smile--"

"I-- I was thinking of something." She stuttered. She wasn't aware that she was that obvious. Then she pouted. "I'm not spoiled and I'm not a brat!" She exclaimed.

"Yes you are." All three of her brothers said at the same time.

"No I'm not!"

"Yes, you are too." Bill said, brushing his long hair away from his face. "No matter how you grow up or how you mature, Gin, you'd always stay the same spoiled member of this family." Then his eyes misted. "Even if you're already getting married…" His voice trailed with his eyes having this far away look on them. Then he grinned. "But you really looked funny a while ago." He chuckled.

"What did I do? They were just faces okay! So let's just drop it!" She said crossly. When the three of them exchanged mysterious smiles, Ginny's pout deepened. "This is not fair! You're at it again!"

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked innocently. Ron nodded his head and chuckled. This is one of their favorite past times – teasing Ginny mercilessly.

"You're conniving and teasing me again just like you used to when I was little!" She cried.

"Ooh, Ginny's getting annoyed already." Ron kidded. "Amazing! Usually, it takes Fred and George to team up with us and do something funny before you get annoyed and vexed."

"You call that funny?" Ginny demanded shaking her head. "It was far from funny! Fred and George! What they do aren't funny! They're crazy! Insane and--"

"And funny." Ron supplied matter-of-factly. 

With that, Ginny couldn't help but smile. "And yes, funny." She said softly. She looked around and smiled with satisfaction. Even if she felt worried and anxious about Draco, it really felt quite good to be sitting here and being teased by her brothers just like old times. It nearly surprised her to think that she had actually missed them. Now, if only Percy would spare some of his time to come here then everything would be perfect.

With that, Charlie cleared his throat. "And speaking of Fred and George." He said looking around. "Where are they?"

Bill took the Daily Prophet from him. "Up in their room, as usual." He replied as he leafed through the pages of the wizarding newspaper. "With little Sylvia no doubt concocting something to 'welcome' this Malfoy guy with." He added winking at Ginny's direction.

"Now, Bill that's not nice." 

Bill looked up only to see the plump form of their mother emerging from the kitchen, her wand swishing in the air. Before her were two big floating, enchanted trays filled with sweet cakes, biscuits, teacups and saucers. She looked sternly at Bill. "Now, don't go teasing Ginny again, all right?"

"Mom's all up for this, mind you." Ron whispered at Bill. He deliberately raised his voice to be heard. "I think she likes that thought of Malfoy's family merging with us." He added with obvious disgust.

Bill just shrugged. "Well I couldn't care less if Ginny wants to marry the devil himself." He declared. "As long as he makes her happy." Then he cracked his knuckles together. "But he better not make our Ginny cry or else-- "

"Ditto!" Charlie exclaimed. He then looked at Ron, who was throwing dagger looks at him. He frowned. "What?" He asked. "Oh Ron, don't be so old-fashioned! Ginny loves him so would you just keep quiet?"

At that, Ginny felt terribly sick… sick with guilt.

"Marrying the devil's far better than marrying a Malfoy." Ron said darkly.

"Now, Ronald Weasley you stop that nonsense immediately." Molly scolded as she sat beside her husband who wasn't paying much attention. With that, Molly angrily tapped Arthur on his shoulder with her wand. "Would you please put that thing away, Arthur?" She asked crossly, her eyes landing on the dismantled cell phone littering the whole coffee table. "What on earth are you doing?" She demanded. 

Arthur looked up. "Oh Molly, you should see this!" He replied excitedly. "This is entirely different from the telephone I took apart before!" He stared at the broken parts of the cell phone before him with wonder. "Really! Those Muggles--"

"Take them away so that I can put the trays down." Molly ordered. Arthur looked up and realized the trays hovering in the air, just above the coffee table. With that, he smiled.

"Of course, Molly dear." He said quickly. With the simple flick of his wand, the broken pieces disappeared.

"Thank you." She said as she let the tea tray down slowly. After the task, she turned to Ginny and smiled kindly. "So dear, where's Draco?" She asked.

Ginny turned a bit red. "He's still not here." She soberly replied. Molly frowned slightly.

"Don't worry Gin." Bill began looking at her. "He'll be here any moment now."

Ron just smirked and hoped to God that whatever Fred and George were doing would really give that Malfoy the 'welcome' he so deserved. He was about to stand up and check on his twin brothers when Ginny suddenly sat up straight.

"He-- he's here!" She cried, springing up from her seat. She felt it! She felt him! She ran towards the door and opened it only to see the tall frame of Draco standing before her, smiling, his eyes looking straight at her. Instantly, Ginny felt weak all over as she stared back, her eyes absorbing his handsome form. He was wearing his family robes and it looked so-- so good on him. She couldn't help but admit that he looked good in black.

Draco's face lit up as an amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He let his eyes rake appreciatively over her simple knee-length dress before looking back at her face. She was giving him that look again. He was well aware that her family's watching them and so without a moment's care, Draco pulled the unsuspecting woman in his arms and gave her a sound kiss on the lips.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Virginia." He drawled after the quick, greeting kiss. 

Blinking hard, Ginny snapped back into reality. "It's- it's all right." She stuttered. Then she stepped aside, pulling him inside the house. "Come in and meet my family." She said.

Draco smiled and stepped inside only to see five pairs of eyes staring up at him. Instantly, tension filled the living room as the Weasleys stared at the man whose father had caused them, especially Arthur Weasley, a great deal of trouble. Draco, upon feeling the affected atmosphere about him, smiled charmingly and spoke, "My deepest apology for being late." He began.

Arthur Weasley immediately stood up. "No, it was nothing." He said with authority. He held his hand with hesitation and Draco shook it firmly.

"Please have a sit." Molly said stiffly. Draco waited till Ginny let herself drop to the empty couch opposite her brothers. Draco, in turn, sat beside her, the smile not leaving his face as he noticed the pair of eyes all looking at him warily. Molly then busied herself setting and pouring the tea things before them and began distributing.

Ginny, feeling the rising strain in the air, cleared her throat loudly. "I believe you know my brothers?" She began looking at her fiancé.

Draco nodded. "Of course." He answered cordially although he didn't miss the murderous look Ron gave him. With that he looked at Charlie who was eyeing him quite unsurely. "I heard that the Ministry's giving you quite a hard time about the senseless hunting of dragons? Antipodean Opaleyes if I'm not mistaken?" He asked.

Charlie nodded reluctantly. "Yes." He said. "Those stupid wizard traders don't have anything better to do."

"I think it's because of the dragon's scales." Draco replied. He then paused just to accept the teacup Molly offered him. He turned to Ginny's mother and smiled. "Thank you." He said warmly. Molly gave him a small, rigid smile.

"So what about their scales?" Bill asked with unexpected interest.

Draco momentarily took a sip of his rose tea before replying. "Well, an Antipodean Opaleyes dragon's scale is very beautiful." He said. "They are iridescent, pearly scales so it was no wonder why wizard traders took great interest in them. It was just a pity though, those dragons are harmless creatures--"

"Precisely!" Charlie said in agreement. "And the fact that those are non-aggressive dragons… they don't even kill people! They only kill sheep or kangaroos to eat… they are practically harmless and--"

"Charlie." Ginny interrupted. "THEY are dragons."

"HARMLESS dragons." Charlie quipped. Then he turned to Draco. "I never knew you have an interest in dragons, Mr. Malfoy?" His eyebrows raised in question.

"Well, I've read about them." He replied. "They are interesting creatures, really. It was a pity though that most people deemed them highly lethal."

Ginny, at that moment, knew Draco had already won Charlie over. It was a known fact that all the Weasley children thought Charlie's insane to ever venture into something that dangerous. As a result, whenever Charlie gets home for the holidays, he never had anybody to discuss dragons with – his most favorite subject. Charlie kept on insisting that dragons are fascinating creatures. To them, dragons are dangerous and terrifying monsters.

Ron's face darkened when he saw the look of agreement on Charlie's face and the flicker of interest Bill, his father and his mother gave him. He looked at Ginny who was also looking at him with rapt attention and wonder.

"So, Draco." Arthur Weasley began putting his teacup gently on the coffee table. "If you don't mind my asking, what took you so long? Did something happen?" He asked with calmness. Ginny couldn't help that his father was trying his best to sound light about everything. She could just fill the rising strain written on his father's face. Well, she couldn't really blame him or her whole family, really. Lucius Malfoy had been unbearable to her parents while Draco Malfoy had been despicable to her brothers. She could just imagine what her father's feeling right now, talking to your mortal enemy's son-- soon to be your future son-in-law…

Draco turned to Ginny's father and shook his head. "Oh it was nothing trifle." He answered with politeness that surprised Ginny. "I just didn't expect that my meeting with the goblins in Gringotts would take that long."

"What were you doing in Gringotts anyway?" Ginny asked curiously. She looked at her family and bit her lip. "Dear?" She quickly added.

Draco shook his head. "Did you already forget, Virginia?" He said delicately as if nothing was amiss. "I have arranged all our property. You know, conjugal rights and such."

Ginny frowned at him with confusion. Draco looked at her long and meaningfully. She started to feel hot in the face, fully aware that her family's looking at them, waiting for her to say something. After a moment she spoke, "Oh, yes." She said nodding her head for effect. Draco frowned slightly and turned his attentions back to her family. Ginny never felt so stupid.

"Pompous goblins we got there." Draco began, shaking his head. "Really, if you ask me, those goblins…" He shook his head with pity and disgust. Bill nodded.

"Damn right you are!" He said. "Couldn't do my work properly when I was back in Egypt. Those goblins kept on pestering me… I tell you when it really comes to money, reason and common sense leaves their heads." He added.

Molly looked at Draco. "So they gave you a hard time?" She asked.

"Putting Virginia's name on my property was an easy task, really. I have informed them a week ago and I expected that I would just have to sign everything there." He began. Then he shook his head. "But no! Those stupid goblins really did make things complicated by checking and double checking the family property and such, which is why it took me so long to get here." He continued in his most soothing voice. "If you ask me, those goblin lot are not trusting when it comes to us wizards."

"I couldn't agree with you more." Molly said, unwillingly nodding her head, remembering the many times those goblins gave her a hard time when her children were all going to Hogwarts. 

Draco then cleared his throat and looked at Ron. "How are things going in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, may I ask?"

Ron's eyes narrowed. "Fine." He answered curtly. Then he smiled sarcastically. "It's really a bore, you know. After You-Know-Who's demise…" He added deliberately. With that, Ginny frowned with disapproval while her whole family turned to Draco, all waiting for him to say something. Ginny turned to him as well, her whole body slightly trembling with nervousness. She wringed her hands together, which surprisingly felt sweaty.

"Well, it was a pity, yes." Draco started saying smoothly as if he wasn't affected by any of it since his family was known to have the most Death Eaters. "But you never know, being an Auror these days," He paused and turned to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "Having an Auror in the family is really-- " 

Just then Draco stopped when a loud explosion shook the house. Arthur Weasley immediately stood up while Molly quickly went about her tea things, which were rattling with the force of the explosion. Ginny looked at Draco who was frowning with confusion then to her twin brothers' room, her face turning red. Just what would Draco think of her family? She found herself asking unwillingly. It wasn't that she's embarrassed or ashamed of her family but really… this wasn't the time for this. She cleared her thoughts only to hear Bill and Charlie laughing while Ron letting out an audible curse, no doubt feeling furious of the sudden interruption (he was this close to trapping Draco).

A moment later, loud laughter rang inside the living room as Fred and George emerged from their bedroom, looking like a bunch of mad Muggles on the loose with feathers sticking out of their shirts. Just behind them was a little giggly girl of two, all smudgy and covered with dirt, scattering feathers with her every step. Instantly, Molly sprang up from her seat, completely forgetting about their visitor.

"Fred and George Weasley!" She said angrily, hands on her hips. "Just what-"

"Aunt Wheezy!" Sylvia squealed running towards her, her little arms outstretched. "Aunt Wheezy, Aunt Wheezy!" She cried again and again as she threw herself at Ginny. Giving a little gasp of surprise, Ginny caught the laughing girl in her arms and smiled while Fred and George went about their endless explanations about the sudden blast in their room. 

"Sylvia!" Ron called. Her daughter turned to him momentarily and smiled. "You come here this instant!" Ron ordered, looking at the sorry state of her daughter. He then shook his head. "Your mother's going to clobber me if she sees you like this when she gets back from the Ministry." He groaned.

But Sylvia ignored him, turning her eyes back to Ginny, then to the stranger sitting beside here. Pouting, she tugged Ginny's hair and spoke. "Who's he?" She said in a tiny voice. Draco looked at her and let out a tiny, reluctant smile. If there was one thing Draco's afraid of other than commitments, it would be children.

"He's Draco, sweetie." Ginny hushed. 

"Why is he here?" Sylvia asked, her green eyes wide.

"Well, he is going to be little Sylvia's new uncle." Ginny cooed as she proceeded to wipe the dirt off her niece's cheek with her hankie. 

"Why?"

"Because we're going to get married."

"Why?"

Draco stared at Ginny and he couldn't help but marvel at how she sounded tender and caring… He didn't quite expect her to be like this since she has this weird tendency to always bite his head off everytime they see each other. He pursed his lips and listened with amusement at the exchange of talk between Ginny and Sylvia, completely becoming deaf to the voices around him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Molly asked in a loud voice. "Having a thing like that in my house!"

"W- well what it is-- " Fred began unsurely as Arthur Weasley disappeared with Ron to check the damage of the blast.

"We were trying to see the effect of this uh-- Jobberknoll Feathers with the Cheating spell-- " Goerge stammered, showing Mrs. Weasley a heap of blue and white feathers before her face.

But Mrs. Weasley would have none of it. "Can't you see that we have a visitor right now? And Sylvia! Look how filthy that girl is. You didn't even think about what might have happened to her! And from the sound of that blast--!" She mused tiredly as Fred and George proceeded to take their wands and zap themselves clean. "Oh, just when will you two start growing up? It's no wonder you two can't get married yourselves! For goodness sake, seven long years… seven long years…" Molly began yet again her speech as she started tidying up the living room while Bill busied himself with the cakes and Charlie with the Daily Prophet. Suddenly, Fred nudged George, his eyes landing on the new face just sitting beside Ginny. Ignoring their mother, the twins then made their way towards Draco, eyeing him strangely.

"Oh its you." Fred started looking at his face with unhidden disapproval.

Draco tore his eyes away from Ginny and nodded his head. "Fred and George Weasley, I presume?" He acknowledged, standing up and offering his hand. The two redheads stared at it for a while. Then remembering Ginny, they finally shook it reluctantly, looking at him warily.

Taking back his hand, Draco sat again while Fred plopped himself on Ron's seat, George taking his father's, both of them crossing their arms across their chests. Draco cleared his throat. "You will excuse me surely but I couldn't help but hear something about Cheating spells?" He asked mildly.

"Yeah." George answered callously. He popped a cookie in his mouth and grinned churlishly.

"We were trying to find out the formula of that Cheating Quills Zonko's used to make. You know, quills with cheating spells on them? Great for exams and stuffs." George supplied taking one cookie as well. "But of course, ours would be much better. It would be 100 percent effective, having less chances of being caught and everything and-"

"Don't be stupid." Bill said suddenly as Mrs. Weasley disappeared to the kitchen. "You very well know that it is against the Ministry of Magic to make quills like that. Don't you remember that every quill and parchment made by Zonko's were all burned?" 

Fred shook his head. "Now Bill, you are starting to sound like Percy." He quipped.

"Well, you could get into trouble for that." Bill answered back.

"It's not like we're going to sell it." George snapped. "We just want to know how it was made."

"Ah Zonko's Marvelous Quills-- " Draco exclaimed. Ginny turned to him wonderingly as Sylvia began playing with her hair. Just what's up his sleeve this time?

"You know about Zonko's Marvelous Quills?" Fred and George asked at the same time. When Draco nodded, Fred and George shook their heads with disbelief.

"Come on! How could you know about that?" George asked. "Those quills were made before we're born!"

"Yeah!" Fred added.

Draco crinkled his eyebrows thoughtfully. "Well, as I remember… " He started. He then blinked his eyes. "They're the ones having these unusual feathers right? And they come in three shades: blue, white and taupe, am I correct?" He asked.

"Yes, we've heard." George replied, nodding his head. 

"Mom and Dad didn't tell us about it." Fred added thoughtfully.

"If I remember correctly, I may have three of those quills left back at the Manor." Draco said lightly, placing his elegant fingers to his temple as though he was thinking. With that, Fred and George looked at him surprised.

"Really?" They both said with enthusiasm. Fred then cleared his throat, remembering that this was Draco Malfoy, the bloody bastard who always cheated on Quidditch. "I-- I mean, so what about it?" He hastily asked, looking at the confused statement of George.

"It has become a collector's item." Draco answered nonchalantly. "I remember my grandfather showing me his' one time."

Fred and George nodded, as they listened to it with rapt attention. "So, did you use it?" Fred asked.

Draco shook his head. "Unfortunately, no." He replied. "I was forbidden to use it. My grandfather hid it so well that even I, using a bunch of spells and enchantments, wasn't able to find it." He added, pausing. "But now that I have graduated-- Would you like to see it for yourself?" He asked smoothly, raising one eyebrow.

"That-- that would be too much, really." Fred forced out.

"Y-yes, surely." George added reluctantly.

Draco just smiled and nodded his head. "Whatever you say, gents." He said. "But you would always be welcome to examine it, should you ever desire to."

Fred and George nodded while murmuring their agreements. Ginny was about to take Sylvia up to her room when Mrs. Weasley suddenly appeared from the kitchen while Mr. Weasley and Ron emerged from the twin's old bedroom, looking tired. 

"So, Draco." Molly began. "When did you and Ginny start going out?" She asked curiously attempting to start a quiet, 'normal' and happy conversation.

Draco cleared his throat and smiled while Ginny spoke. "Just a-- a month, Mother." She answered.

"Everyone knows that Ginny and I went to Hogwarts together, am I right?" He added, looking lovingly at Ginny. Ginny looked back, smiled and resisted the effort to barf right then and there. He's really determined to make this work! 

Ron snorted. "Who could forget that?" He said sarcastically, crossing his arms on his chest. Fred and George merely nodded their heads silently while Bill and Charlie awkwardly cleared their throats.

"We-- we started dating w-- when--" Ginny sputtered as she saw the awaiting statement of Molly before her. "That is-- we-- "

"I can't exactly remember when I saw her…" Draco interrupted, placing his hand on top of Ginny's for effect. "All I remember was how she looked back then…"

"Yes?" Mrs. Weasley prodded on encouragingly.

Draco's eyes somewhat softened. "She was wearing that simple robes of red… I could say she really caught my attention because she was sitting there, with the wind blowing against her, her hair playing against the breeze… and with a smile of her face. But she wasn't aware that she was being observed…"

Mrs. Weasley sighed while Ginny blushed. Although none of it was entirely true, Ginny couldn't help but give a little sigh of how romantic he had sounded.

"And at that moment, I was able to define beauty by just merely looking at her." Draco finished softly. "And since then, she never gave me some peace of mind."

"Blimey! This is getting sick." Fred kidded and laughed. George nudged him while desperately trying to suppress his laughter. Draco turned to them and smiled.

"Say all you want but I can tell you this… just wait till you find that special someone and for all you know you'll be much worse than me." He declared jovially. "I was once like that but then--" He paused and turned to Ginny. "I met Virginia." He added softly.

"Weird combination, if you ask me." Ron said impatiently. "Redheads and blondes don't mix."

"Ron, don't be unpleasant." His mother scolded. 

"If you don't mind my asking, just where did you go to during the war?" Charlie suddenly asked.

"I went away with my mother. Actually Professor Dumbledore performed the Fidelius Charm and he had been our secret keeper. We just went to Romania and stayed temporarily with my mother's friends." Draco answered truthfully. "I'll be really honest here and I'm not ashamed to admit that I went away not fighting."

"So what else is new? Dumbledore is a trusting old-- old-- man." Ron murmured darkly. Draco decided to just smile and ignore him.

"I admit I've done some things I'm not proud of." He began looking at the faces before him. "But I tell you this, I have thought all about them and what I have done before… and there was never a day that I haven't felt so sorry for it--"

"Now, that's really something." Ron butted in.

"Ronald Weasley!" Molly spat warningly. Ron mercifully shut his mouth up and frowned.

"I disappeared during the war not because of cowardice." Draco began, his eyebrows crinkling together. "But because of fear. Fear of what Voldemort or my father would do to my mother should I REFUSE to fight, or to CHOOSE to go against them. And at that span of time, during my disappearance, I have realized that I have wronged everybody especially myself." He shook his head. "I am not ashamed to admit that I was scared… scared for the safety my mother… so now…" He paused and shook his head once more. "Now I'm trying my best to straighten whatever damages my father had caused, first to my mother then to all the people he had wronged. And as for Virginia…" He turned to her and smiled. "Unbeknownst to her, she had become my strength. She had become the sole reason why I desired to change. I want to be good enough for her. I want to deserve her."

Ginny blushed again while Molly nodded in earnest after his little speech. The men meanwhile took deep breaths and looked at Draco with reluctant approval (except Ron who remained scowling). Just then, Ginny stood up and chuckled.

"Wow! It's getting late." She began, letting Sylvia out of her grasp, probably off to do some damages again.

"So, what about your wedding plans?" Molly asked suddenly.

"Well, I was planning to take Virginia to meet mother and grandfather this week, possibly the day after tomorrow." He replied. "Then there would be an engagement party three days after that and we, I and Virginia, agreed to have the wedding a week after the engagement party."

"Y-yes." Ginny stuttered at her parents, sitting down once again. "Would that be all right?" She asked.

"Well, I couldn't help but admit that it's so soon." Molly replied thoughtfully while Arthur just decided to keep quiet. "Could you prepare everything at that short span of time?" She asked doubtfully.

Draco nodded. "Oh yes." He replied. "Everybody at my house are willing to help." He added. Ginny couldn't miss the tone of modesty in his voice as he used the word 'everybody' instead of 'servants', and 'house' instead of 'Manor.'

"Of course you and Charlie would bring your family?" Draco said turning to Bill and Charlie expectantly.

"Well, I'm sure Grace would love to go to your wedding." Charlie replied nodding his head.

"I'm not sure if Fleur would be there with my son, Robert." Bill said reluctantly. "They're at France right now, staying with my mother-in-law." Then he shook his head. "Really, I can't see what Fleur's thinking when she insisted that Robert attend Beauxbatons instead of Hogwarts." He added with slight disgust.

"Well, either way, all your families are invited to the engagement party and wedding, of course." Draco replied.

"Until now, I was wondering," Fred began looking at Bill thoughtfully. "How on earth did you convince that veela, Fleur Delacour, to marry you?"

"Fred, don't start right now." Bill replied sighing tiredly.

"Well, I think everything's settled now." Ginny said suddenly, taking the tea things. "I'll just put this in the kitchen and-- "

"I'll help you with that." Draco said taking the tray from her hands and before Ginny could say another word, Draco went ahead of her beckoning for her to follow him. Once inside the kitchen, Ginny faced him and smiled nastily.

"Bravo." She said cruelly. "I swear if you were Pinocchio, your nose would be 20 meters long by now." She added with sarcasm. 

Draco just raised one eyebrow after putting the tray on top of the kitchen table. "You'd be surprised, Virginia." He just said. "There are just some things you don't know about me."

"Well, either way. I feel horrible." She mused, slumping herself tiredly on a chair. Draco looked at her and smiled knowingly.

"I told you you're not a very good liar." He said smoothly, inching towards her.

"Whereas you are?" Ginny commented, looking at his eyes. Draco held her gaze, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I told you, there are just some things you don't know about me." He repeated finally stopping just inches away from her. He then placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her up till her face leveled against his chin. Ginny looked up, unable to say anything, her eyes not leaving his.

Then without a word, Draco took her hand, kissed it and held her palm up. Ginny felt her face get hot with the sudden action. She frowned when Draco placed a tiny, gold key on top of her palm. She looked at him with confusion.

"Consider this as an engagement ring." He drawled. At that, Ginny realized that he had just handed her the key to her very own Gringotts vault. "Spend it well." 

"So much for being romantic." Ginny murmured, her eyes not leaving the key. "You really went to Gringotts, that's why you're late?" She asked.

"You thought I was lying?" He asked, his fingers going through her hair. "Were you worried about me?" He added, his voice silky.

Ginny took a deep breath and forced herself to think straight. She just knew what Draco's up to. "He's seducing you! Snap out of it!" Her brain screamed. She then, mustered up all her will power and turned away from him.

"If you think you can get me by doing things like that, you're wrong." She said firmly but calmly. 

Draco chuckled. "Oh I wouldn't bet on that, Weasley." He drawled arrogantly. "You DON'T know what I'm capable of doing."

Ginny just smiled without humor. She turned around and was about to make her way out of the kitchen when suddenly, her father, entered. "Could I have a word with Draco alone, honey?" He asked.

Ginny turned to Draco questioningly. Draco nodded. "Of course." She said. 

"Good." Arthur Weasley replied. "Let's go then." He said beckoning for Draco to follow him. Ginny frowned with confusion as she watched Draco follow her father out of the kitchen into the study room. Now, what was this all about? She thought, as Draco looked at her one last time before closing the door gently.

==========

"Now Mr. Malfoy." Arthur began as he purposely walked back and forth inside his study. 

Draco looked around the tidy room full of muggle things, books and gadgets before frowning at the sudden formality. He had noticed the earthy ambiance of Arthur Weasley's study room with the fire, cheerfully glowing from the side, and with the big, brown sturdy desk on the center, no doubt made of narra wood. From his assumption, this room was built just after the Weasley family struck it rich. He turned his gray eyes to Arthur and nodded his head.

"Mr. Weasley?" He asked.

Arthur then cleared his throat importantly. "I'm not actually saying that I don't want you to marry my daughter, since she alone chose you." He began. Draco nodded and waited. "But I'm not also saying that you could marry her just like that."

"Then what do you suggest--" Draco asked his voice trailing off.

As his answer, Arthur Weasley took out a large key from his pocket and began unlocking one of the big drawers in one of the corners. Then to Draco's amazement, Ginny's father stepped back to reveal a set of muggle wines and liquors before him. Draco's eyes widened as he stared at the multi-colored bottles waiting to be opened and imbibed. Just then, Draco swallowed hard as realizations hit him. He couldn't be serious, could he?

"I'll tell you what." Arthur began, facing him. "Let's have a little drinking contest." He said, looking at the surprised face of the younger man in front of him. "This," He supplied, his hands gesturing towards the liquor bottles behind him. "is my liquor collection. As you can see, I haven't had the chance of opening any or drinking one since all my sons much preferred butterbeer and this uh-- whisky… what do you call this whiskey, by the way?" Mr. Weasley asked snapping his fingers.

"Ogden's Old Firewhisky." Draco answered for him. 

"Yes, yes, Ogden's Old Firewhisky." Arthur said nodding his head. "Anyway, if you beat me in this little drinking game, then you can marry my baby girl." He continued.

"And if I don't?" Draco asked.

"Then-- " Arthur just shook his head as his answer. Draco stood there for a moment, surveying the bottles staring back at him. From the looks of it, all the liquor was muggle made since he couldn't recognize the names and labels. Good lord! Never in his whole damn life-- He had never drank or even tasted muggle liquor! Not only because they were made by muggles but also because muggle liquor had higher alcohol content than most wizard drinks he knew. He was used to wines, champagnes, butterbeer and the like, but muggle whiskies and vodka? Brandies?

"What do you say, Mr. Malfoy?" Arthur asked after a second's pause.

Draco thought about his chances. From the looks of it, if he wanted to marry Ginny, he had no other choice. If he decided not to accept this challenge, no matter how Ginny insisted on marrying him, which he doubted, her father's final say would still matter. Since he had that little speech about changing for the better in front of her family, Draco didn't have any choice but to accept Arthur Weasley's decision. This was a not a win-win situation and Draco wasn't used to feeling that. After this, he would surely make Ginny pay for all this trouble. "Just think about 262 million galleons." His brain coaxed. 

Draco smiled. "Shall we begin?" He asked mildly.

Arthur smiled and with a simple flick of his wand, two glasses appeared on the table. Draco took a seat just across from him while Ginny's father proceeded to fill his glass with the potent stuff. Draco gulped as Arthur handed him his first glass.

"Cheers?" Ginny's father asked mildly.

"Cheers." He said, raising his glass a bit then bringing it to him, his lips lightly touching the brim. The moment the heavy liquor touched Draco's mouth, he found himself frowning with disgust. He took a tiny sip. His eyes suddenly widened upon feeling the painfully hot liquid seeping through his throat only to settle inside his stomach. AND IT WASN'T VERY NICE.

"262 million galleons… 262 million galleons…" He let his brain chant. Then shutting his eyes close, he took a deep breath and drank the remaining contents of his glass quickly. He pursed his lips to hide the choke, which was desperately trying to spurt out from his mouth. He put the glass back down and took a deep breath.

"Not bad." Arthur said as Draco poured him a glass. He smiled and held the glass up a bit.

"Cheers." He said and to Draco's surprise, Arthur Weasley drowned the contents with one quick gulp. "Ready for your second round?" He asked Draco after putting his glass back down.

"Y- yes." Draco answered as he held his glass for him to fill. Then without a moment's hesitation, he forced the liquid down, his face scrunching with subtle displeasure. 

On and on it went. Glass after glass. When Draco noticed that he had already poured the last drop of the brandy in Arthur's glass, he heaved a grateful sigh. Thank god they've already finished one bottle. Expecting it to be the end of the drinking bout, he felt thankful that he could still think straight. Just then, Arthur stood up and made his way towards his cabinet.

"Looks like we've already finished the brandy." He commented surveying the empty bottle before him. He grinned and to Draco's horror, he placed another bottle on the table. "Now, this should do it!" He boomed loudly, making his glasses slip off from his nose.

"What the-- " Draco found his brain screaming as Ginny's father started filling his glass again. Then he sighed with defeat as Arthur handed him his glass. "This will be a long night." He thought taking it from him.

==========

"What is taking them so long?" Ginny asked her mother as she turned to her watch. "It's almost midnight." She added, looking aimlessly at her father's study. 

Molly Weasley looked up from her needlework and frowned. "I don't know dear." She answered equally curious. Everybody has already retired except them.

"I will go in now." Ginny declared, standing up. Before Molly could stop her, a loud, raucous laughter rang from the study room. To Ginny's surprise, the door suddenly burst open only to reveal a merry-faced Weasley and a red-faced Malfoy. Arthur was laughing, assisting the staggering Draco to the door. His right arm over Drac, his left hand clutching a bottle of wine from his collection.

"What the-- "

"I'm-- fine-- Virginia… " Draco drawled as he made his way towards her. Arthur laughed again while Draco walked unsteadily towards her. Then to her astonishment, Draco slumped his body against hers for support. Ginny held him, struggling against his weight over hers. 

At that, Molly stood up and angrily faced her husband. "Drunk! What were you thinking?" She demanded crossly while Arthur just smiled sleepily. "I should have known… Ginny dear, let Draco sit over the couch--- "

"No, Mrs. Weasley… I'm fine…" He slurred.

Ginny resisted the urge to laugh upon seeing Draco in such a state. It was very un-Draco like. She just can't believe that he's struggling to act all cool and calm and suave even though he's already reeking of alcohol! Ooh… she wished she had a camera right now. She then, assisted her sloshed fiancé to a couch and sat beside him. Draco sighed gratefully upon feeling her softness against his body. Then without warning, he closed his eyes and let his head rest on Ginny's shoulders, finally losing the fight.

"My new son-in-law!" Arthur boomed merrily and laughed at the sight of Draco snoozing beside her daughter.

"Just what did you give him?" Molly asked angrily. "Why did it to be like this, Arthur? Explain this!" She demanded.

Ginny turned to Draco who was softly breathing against her ear. He smelled strongly of alcohol that she looked at his father wonderingly. "What is the purpose of this, father?" She asked.

"He deserves you, my daughter." Arthur said finally after the torrent of laughter. 

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

"It was just a test." He simply replied. "I knew, by just looking at him, this young man couldn't really take Muggle liquor. Muggle liquor has higher alcohol content, mind you." He added, now hiccuping. 

"So?" 

"He knows he can't take or stand Muggle liquor but he did it." He supplied. "He could just shake his head and refuse, I would allow him to marry you anyway, but he did! He did it for you, Ginny."

"That is utterly rubbish!" Molly said angrily, helping her husband up.

"Say what you want, Molly dear but you don't know anything about us men, now!" Arthur answered back as they staggered towards up to their room. Molly then turned to Ginny who was looking unsurely at Draco.

"He can't possibly go home now, dear." Molly began. "Better settle him inside Percy's room just for tonight. There is a washcloth in one of his drawers and a basin in the kitchen." With that, they opened the door and stepped inside their room and disappeared from her sight.

All alone, Ginny stared at the sleeping form of Draco beside her. Somehow, she liked Draco sleeping than Draco awake and annoying. He was breathing softly, his eyes closed… he looked so gentle, so harmless like a baby and without a word, Ginny took her handkerchief and began wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead. 

"He did it for you, Ginny."

Ginny rolled her eyes and softly brought her fingers to his hair. "I wish." She muttered shaking her head. But then, she couldn't help but think… did he really do it for her? Was her father telling the truth, about Draco not standing Muggle alcohol? Or was he just drunk? It was just all about the deal, right? But then-- it wouldn't hurt pretending that someone would do something like that for her… She gave a start as Draco shifted comfortably beside her, murmured something inaudible and started drifting off to sleep again.

And with that thought, Ginny lightly stroke Draco's hair while letting him lie his head down on her lap. "There's still tomorrow to be nasty and spiteful anyway." She thought as she wiped his face gently with her hankie. "Until then, just rest." She added, as she watched his sleeping face.

Author's notes: The part about the Antipodeon Opaleyes dragon is from Newt Scamander's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! Thought you oughta know! ;p

End of Part VI


	7. Vladimir Malfoy II

Serpent's Bride VII: Vladimir Malfoy II

"Uh-- no…" Ginny murmured on her cell phone as she went about her 'old' room searching for her light brown traveling cloak. It was a beautiful late afternoon, with the setting sun giving out a pinkish glow, and here she was, all cranky, leaving her last minute instructions to her secretary, Therese. 

"I said I'm on leave." She said cradling the phone between her shoulder and her head as her hands fumbled for the cloak's clasp. "No, it'll be a while before I-- yes!" She half shouted. Finally feeling fed up, she threw her cloak aside and held the phone with her left hand.

"Look, Therese." She began with forced patience. "All I'm asking is for you to give out the remaining lessons which are all stack up neatly inside my drawers. They are labeled, it won't be difficult finding-- no! You just have to give it to them!" She paused and looked at her watch.

"Well, I'm not really sure when I'll be coming back…" She said after the pause. "No, nothing. I'm just at my parents house-- no, I'm not going broke…" Ginny said impatiently as she started pacing back and forth in her room. She then stopped before her closet and sighed.

"Therese, I really have to go. Just give the goddamn lessons and be done with it, okay?" She said and with that, she quickly hung-up and let out an audible curse.

"What seems to be the problem?"

Upon hearing a deep voice, Ginny gasped and quickly spun around to see Ron frowning at her.

"Bad news from work?" He asked walking inside and closing the door gently behind him.

"Don't do that again." Ginny said with displeasure, her right hand clutching her chest and her other hand throwing the phone on her bed. "And it's not bad news. Just giving some instructions to my secretary." She continued, picking up her cloak.

"Oh." Ron murmured as he settled his tall frame on her bed. He looked around, his green eyes roaming disinterestedly from the tiny light brown closet to the little desk just facing the small window. 

Ginny looked at him, her eyebrows raised. "Ron?" She asked noticing the unusual silence of her brother. "You want something?" 

Ron blinked and turned to her. "Uh…" He began.

"Yes?"

"Well, Gin?"

"Yes, Ron." She said wonderingly.

"About-- about the other night." He continued frowning. "You know, when Malfoy came here and stuff--"

"Oh…" Ginny nodded her head, her eyes slightly widening.

"Look, I just want to apologize for behaving that way and-- "

"No, no… it's-- it's all right, really." Ginny replied quickly, the guilty feeling washing over her again.

"No, it's not really all right." Ron said stubbornly. Seeing Ron's determination to go on with the subject, Ginny then reluctantly bit her lip and sat beside her brother. Ron let out a weak smile and placed his hand on top of hers. "Gin, I know that-- well- I'll be really honest with you, all right? I just don't get it, really. Why-- Malfoy?"

Ginny stared at him for a moment only to see the obvious concern flickering in his green eyes. At that, Ginny felt that familiar feeling of being sick again, sick with guilt. It was really a wonder why she still had not gotten used to it, after all the lies and all the deception she had been making these past few weeks… and it wasn't nice. She felt terrible.

"Well, I-- don't know." She replied softly forcing out a weak smile back. She shook her head slowly. "I guess it's just fate. I really didn't plan everything to be this way." She added which was in part, the truth. It was Draco who did all the planning. She closed her eyes momentarily. _"Please, don't ask if I love him… please don't ask if I love him… I don't want to lie again… I don't want to lie anymore…"_ She silently prayed.

"Well the thing is… " Ron started patting Ginny's hand gently. "Bill and Charlie are right. It's really none of my business who you choose to marry as long as he makes you happy. But-- " He paused and looked down.

"But what?" Ginny asked.

"But-- well-- I'm your big brother and-- and we've been the closest compared to your relationship with Bill or Charlie or Fred and George… and I can't help but feel protective. Surely you understand that, don't you?" He asked.

When Ginny nodded, Ron cleared his throat. "The thing is-- Gin, you're my little sister, no make that my only baby sister and I-- even if you're all grown up and everything I just can't help but feel worried and-- "

"I love you, Ron." Ginny cut in softly. "You're the sweetest, the most caring brother I have and I love you."

With that, Ron stopped and smiled gently. "I love you too, Gin. And I really, really missed you. I haven't seen you since you decided to move out on your own and I'm glad I saw you again." He replied. Then he shook his head. "But I just can't help but feel guilty, you know. I just can't help but think that the main reason why you're marrying Malfoy was that I didn't spend enough time with you or-- or had a serious brother-sister talk with you. I was always with Harry and Hermione cooking up something, no doubt, something that lead the three of us again and again to Dumbledore's office and-- that's probably why I'm missing you this much, you know. I didn't get to spend a lot of time with you before just--"

"Ron, no." Ginny interrupted. "Don't say that. Harry and Hermione-- they're your best friends!"

"But you're family." Ron supplied, shaking his head.

"And nothing will ever change that." She said. The she sighed and took Ron's other hand. "Ron, you-- mustn't feel guilty because-- because my marrying Malfoy had nothing to do with you or with your hanging out with Harry and Hermione endlessly. It was my decision, all right? MY decision." She continued, which was again, the truth. _"And it is I who should feel guilty not you…" _She silently added to herself. "But-- I really-- " She shook her head and smiled. "Thank you-- for worrying and loving me that much."

With that, Ron's face lit up. He turned to her and softly planted a kiss on her forehead. Ginny closed her eyes. "But I can't promise I'll be all nice and sweet to that Slytherin prat, Gin." He said darkly. Then remembering Ginny and the marriage, his sour face faltered a little. 

Ginny laughed. "No one's actually expecting that, really." She said, standing up and walking towards her little vanity table. She sat down on the stool and began combing her hair. For her, the thought of Ron being very, very friendly and all chummy with Malfoy was like seeing Voldemort doing the mambo, sipping fruit shakes, surrounded by giggling females and actually enjoying it in a tiny and sunny island somewhere in the Caribbean. It was really, utterly-- unthinkable.

"But since he'll be family as well…" Ron said turning to her. "I'll-- I'll-- Well, I'll try my best to, you know… " His voice trailed off while his eyes settled over her reflection meaningfully while his hands flailed stupidly in gesture. "You know, I-- I would, like uh-- be civil and stuff and-- "

Ginny found herself chuckling. "I think I know what you mean." She said.

Ron nodded his head. "Yes, I think so." He replied. "So, uh… was-- was Harry informed about this?" He asked carefully.

Ginny suddenly stopped, the smile on her freckled face slightly withering. She put the brush down slowly and turned to her brother. She took a deep breath. "I-- I sent him a letter." She finally replied. 

Ron raised his eyebrows curiously. "And?"

"Well-- well, he-- "Ginny stuttered. "He didn't-- write back." She sighed and turned her attentions back to her mirror. "It really felt so horrible, you know. Having to tell him that 'thing' during the Quidditch season. Having for him to learn that-- that 'thing'… He actually went back to Ireland completely-- completely-- " 

"Happy?" Ron asked.

"Well, not that happy like you know, HAPPY." Ginny said meaningfully.

"Confident? Hopeful?"

"Well somewhat, yes. It's more like a-- more like a--" Ginny said thoughtfully. Then she threw her hands up. "Oh blast, I don't know! I won't know until he writes back!" She cried. She really felt rotten just thinking about their conversation back at her office. 

__

"But please promise me that you'll consider?"

"I promise."

"Well, you can't really blame him if he doesn't write back, you know that right?" Ron said.

Ginny sighed and nodded. "Yes, I know." She replied tiredly. Then she looked at Ron's reflection. "Does that make me a bad person?"

Ron smiled softly. "No, that doesn't make you a bad person, Ginny." He replied shaking his head. "Just like what you said, it's fate."

Ginny nodded. "Yes, fate." She said with agreement. _"Fate? Was it me or was it just I'm fated to spend the rest of my life unhappy and miserable with a certain miserable prat whom I'll soon be marrying?"_

"Everything all right there, Gin?" Ron asked upon noting her sudden silence.

Reluctantly Ginny snapped out of her trance and turned to him smiling. "Yes, of course. I was just-- uh-- thinking of something." She replied.

"Oh, right." Ron nodded his head. "Not that anything's new… you're always thinking of something." He murmured. Ginny frowned at him. Ron shut his mouth.

"So, has Bill already left?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, just a while ago." Ron replied. "Quite surprising, really, usually it's Bill who leaves first. But Charlie, Fred and George kind of beat him to it."

Ginny chuckled. "Probably misses mom and dad." She surmised, pulling her shiny red mane into a tight ponytail. Then turning once again on her mirror, she picked up a tiny tube of pale pink lip-gloss from her drawer and began applying it to her lips. She smacked her lips once, stood up and twirled in front of her brother.

"So how do I look?" She asked showing of her semi-fitted blouse and her khaki colored skirt.

"You're pretty, Gin." Ron said. "Of course I would've said beautiful but that's for my Hermione, you know." He added sheepishly. "What's the occasion, by the way?" He asked.

"Oh, I'm off to do something in the orphanage and Mal-- Draco will pick me up and we'll have dinner with his mother and grandfather." She answered, putting on her traveling cloak.

"Oh I see." Ron said. "Meeting the in-laws?"

"Well, you can put it that way." She replied, her hands fumbling with the rose clasp of her cloak and snapping it into place. "Where's Herm, by the way?" She asked.

"Diagon Alley." He replied. "With Sylvia. She kept on saying something about buying a goat spleen and some chopped magnolia or lilac roots or whatever." Then he shrugged. "Pretty nasty if you ask me." He said, his face contorting with disgust. "Now that I think about it… What's Herm up to anyway?" He asked himself.

"Well probably she likes to whip herself up a Deflating Draft." Ginny answered. "Goat spleen and chopped roots of magnolia are for making Deflating Drafts." She replied surely. 

"You sure about that?" Ron asked doubtfully.

Ginny batted an eyelash. "My dear brother." She began. "You're talking to the best potion maker Hogwarts has ever seen." She continued.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah whatever." He replied. But then it was true. Ginny was the best potion maker back at Hogwarts. Her high marks proved it (much to Snape's displeasure… it was a Gryffindor and not a Slytherin who gained the highest merits). She was probably the best next to Severus Snape, their potions professor. No matter how Ron hated that man, he still had to admit that Snape was the best when it came to potions and cauldrons and stuff, considering the fact that it was one of Snape's potions that saved him during the war. "You know very well that if Snape hears you-- "

"Oh what he doesn't know won't hurt him anyway." She said. "So what did Sylvia inflate this time?" She asked.

"I think it was her mother's underwear." Ron said, chuckling since he had found the XXXXXL size and inflated knickers and brassieres on top of her wife's writing desk that noon. 

Ginny frowned. "I couldn't blame little Sylvia. However-- " She said, looking at him straight in the eye. "Really, Ron-- What were you thinking? Why do you have a Swelling Solution in your room, hmm?" She asked, giving him a naughty smile.

Getting Ginny's meaning, Ron scrunched his face, as it turned pink. "Really, Ginny!" He started with disbelief. He stopped as his 'little sister' grinned impishly at him. He shook his head and went to the door. "I simply refuse to have this conversation with you." He said.

"Ooh, touché." She quipped.

"I don't-- we don't need that! I don't use that, if you must know. They're for the-- the vegetables and--" Ron cried. 

"Then why is it inside your 'room'? Room-- vegetables-- kitchen-- get the connection?" She asked, rolling her eyes. 

"I tell you! It's-- we don't-- it was Sylvia and-- " Ron babbled.

When Ginny gave him that I-don't-really-believe-you look, he threw his hands up. "Hey! You're my kid sister! What do you know about those things anyway?" He said grumpily.

Ginny chuckled and went to the door as well. "You'd be surprised, believe me." She replied. When Ron eyed her darkly, she grinned. "Oh all right! I believe you! You're tall anyway and you know what they say about 'tall men', right?" She added mischievously. Then without a word, she tipped on her toes and kissed her brother on the cheek. "Wish me luck?" She asked. Although this marriage was only a game, she couldn't help but feel nervous and anxious meeting her 'in-laws' all the same. Had Draco felt this way too? She found herself asking.

"They'll love you." Was Ron's only reply.

At that, Ginny smiled and made her way down the stairs. "I'll see you then!" She hollered. "And dad, wherever you are! Don't you dare take my phone apart! I mean it!" She added as she made her way towards the fireplace. Then taking the pot full of floo powder, she positioned herself before the crackling fire.

"Take care, Ginny!" Molly called from the kitchen upon hearing her daughter's quickening footsteps. "And please say thank you to Draco for the flowers, dear!"

"I will, mom! Bye!" She answered back. She then blew the powder making the fire roar a greenish color. 

"To the orphanage, please." She said loudly and clearly. And with that, she hopped into the flames and disappeared from sight. 

==========

Draco crossed his legs and looked out the carriage window that same day. He then placed his carefully manicured fingers on his right temple and stared at the slowly sinking sun. He was just on his way to the orphanage after receiving a letter from Virginia.

"Virginia Weasley…" He found his mind repeating. He let out an irritated grunt and turned away from the window, gruffly pulling its covers to block the beautiful sunset from his view. It actually surprised him to find himself thinking about her and his behavior the other night for two whole days now, yesterday and today.

He really didn't expect that everything would turn out good, if not, better than he had expected… He just couldn't forget that night, the way he tried to put his best foot forward, accepting the drinking bout and waking up…

He took a deep breath and tapped his wand against his right leg slowly as he looked at the empty seat across from his thoughtfully. It really stunned him to find himself, that next morning, lying on the couch with his head on top of Virginia's lap, her hand tangled in his hair. He couldn't exactly remember how drunk he had been that night. He hadn't even remembered what suddenly got him in 'that' predicament (lying on the couch with Virginia). He tapped his wand faster.

That alone was worse-- he stopped. No, it wasn't worse but-- disturbing. What was worse was the way he acted the morning he woke up finding himself lying on her lap and seeing her asleep. He clearly remembered blinking his eyes furiously and springing up to a sitting position when he felt a soft hand on his head and when he saw her sleeping face just above him. The thing was, he could've have just left a note and walked away. But no, he did not. Instead, he sat there and quietly watched her sleeping face for a while before actually writing that note, leaving the flowers, and finally walking away.

Until now, it actually didn't occur to him why he had sat there only to watch her sleep. It was also really very disconcerting to suddenly realize that he had actually wanted to sit there and just watch her. There was just that unexplainable something that tugged his eyes towards her direction.

He just couldn't forget how she had looked like back then. She had her eyes closed, making her eyelashes stand out against her creamy white skin. It actually surprised him to see that they were actually thick, dark and long. And she has this nose… this feminine small nose, so different from Blaise's long, aristocratic one. And her red hair, it was very long and shiny with its curly tips… it was so enticing that he had trouble resisting the temptation to touch her hair, to see what it felts like, to know how soft and silky it was. And she was wearing a white dress! A white simple knee-length dress! All in all, Ginny had looked like an angel that morning, minus the halo and the wings, that is.

He let out a soft curse and put his wand aside. What the hell was happening to him? First, he had watched her sleep. Then he suddenly found himself thinking about her the whole day. He wasn't used to that! Usually, after having sex with Blaise or with anyone, he would just stay in bed for about 5 or 10 minutes or so and stand up. If he ever fell asleep it was the woman who watched him with adoring eyes and not the other way around. And he didn't think about them all day! Well, if he did, then it would be about the 'things' they did that night and not how she had looked like while sleeping. And the thing was, he hadn't even slept with Virginia Weasley! And he didn't do 'mushy' things like that! Sleeping on a woman's lap! Such a thought was-- Draco shook his head. This was so unnerving and so disturbing… That's why he had decided not to see her yesterday. He wanted to clear his head, convince himself that it was just nothing, to sort things out, but then… look where that got him. He still found himself thinking about her. 

He shook his head and decided to ignore the unexplainable feeling building up inside him. "It was just the stupid 'mushy' thing." He convinced himself. And also her family. He hastily added. Never in his whole damn life had he encountered a family as crazy as hers, with two older brothers (Bill and Charlie) who laughed at the other's (Ron) obvious pompousness then with another set of brothers, twins actually, who had a promising career when it came to blowing houses down. In fact, maybe that was just it. It was just the whole, new shocking experience of encountering her family. Hell, it was everything but her! JUST EVERYTHING BUT HER!

"The orphanage, Master Draco?" His coach driver suddenly called, shattering his thoughts.

Draco then lifted the window covers only to see the big, massive edifice of the orphanage looming before him. The castle was small compared to Hogwarts but nevertheless, it was much bigger than the Manor. Draco heard that it was used as a military fortress back in the Peasant's Revolt. He let his eyes scan the structure momentarily only to notice the sturdy towers sticking out of the hard, coarse bricks lining the castle walls. It was without a doubt that these towers were used as watchtowers before. Somehow, the frugal and rugged structure of this orphanage strongly reminded him of the castles back in Scotland. Then his eyes widened only to see the big iron gates opening as though it sensed him. Well, probably it did. He cleared his throat.

"Drive through." He ordered.

"Very well, young master." His coach driver answered as the coach moved forward and then stopped before the big, heavy doors. Getting his wand and straightening his cloak, Draco then opened the door and stepped down from the coach. Looking at his awaiting driver, he spoke calmly.

"I'll be back in fifteen minutes." 

"Yes, sir." His driver answered, nodding.

Then without wasting another moment, Draco made his way towards the door, knocked thrice and disappeared inside the castle. 

==========

Ginny clutched her cloak tighter to her as she made her way silently through the castle hall, her shoes making clicking sounds against the stone floor. Then stopping before the office she shared with Selena, she took out his wand and muttered,

__

"Alohomora!"

Instantly, the door opened. Ginny then slid her wand back inside her pocket and marched inside to see Selena busy writing something. Without a word, she hastily made her way towards her and dropped something on top of her bookkeeper's parchment.

"Here." She said. "Pay Gringgots and tell them to shove it up their-- "

"Where the hell did you get this?" Selena breathed, her eyes widening upon seeing the gold Gringgots vault key. She picked it up and turned to Ginny. "How much is inside this vault, if you don't mind, Ginny."

"One million galleons." Ginny answered simply, turning away from her to walk towards her own desk. She plopped herself down without bothering to remove her cloak. "I told you I could get the money, didn't I?" She said, grinning.

Selena frowned with mixed confusion and amazement. She stood up and walked towards Ginny. "Well, yes but how-- " She stopped and shook her head. "How did you get this-- kind of money? How-- "

"I just have my ways, that's all." Ginny cut in.

With that, Selena's jaw dropped. "You didn't-- you know-- please tell me you didn't--"

Ginny's scrunched her face in disgust. "Of course not!" She cried. "Really, Selena! Is that what you think of me?" She asked, slightly hurt.

"No of course not!" The younger woman replied quickly. "But surely, you can't blame me if-- "

"I got a loan." Ginny answered.

"A loan?" Selena echoed.

"Yup!" Ginny nodded her head, making her ponytail bounce. "I got a loan."

"From whom?"

At that Ginny stopped. "Well- from-- " She shook her head slowly. "From-- a friend." She continued lamely. 

"Pretty generous friend you got there." Selena said. Then she sighed. "Really, Ginny, can't you do better than that?"

"You don't believe me?" Ginny asked. When Selena shook her head, she frowned. "Look, just go and pay Gringgots and buy something for the orphanage, all right? I'll just worry about the finances and such."

"It's my job to worry about the finances, Gin." Selena said, raising one eyebrow. 

"No, you're job is to worry about balancing the books." Ginny replied quite crankily. Selena frowned at her with the answer. Seeing that, Ginny just sighed. "Look, I'm sorry but I'm not really in the mood to discuss this thing right now, now that everything will be paid and good." She supplied, smiling weakly. 

"Oh all right." Selena said finally giving in. "You just tell me if there are any problems, all right?"

Ginny nodded and stood up. She walked towards the office window and peered outside. Then she turned to Selena, who was busy getting a new parchment, no doubt, to write a letter to Gringgots. "Did a man with uh—blond hair named Draco Malfoy-- you know-- um… did he come here yet?" She stuttered.

Selena looked up. "Tall blond guy with those amazingly gray eyes?" She asked. When Ginny nodded, she grinned. "Well no. Were you expecting him?"

"How did you know him?" Ginny asked instead. "You went to Durmstrang, right? So how did you know him?"

"Oh, well… He's very popular with the women, you know." Selena answered, biting her lower lip thoughtfully. "I met him once actually when my uncle threw a party at his Manor, you know my uncle who settled in Germany and well, that's where I saw him. He's so gorgeous!" She said sighing.

Ginny frowned upon hearing the giggle that came out of the young woman's lips. Seeing the look Ginny gave her, Selena then choked back her giggles and cleared her throat. "I heard he was your schoolmate." She said in a questioning tone.

The red haired woman nodded. "We went to Hogwarts." She answered curtly, walking away from the window. "You-- think him uh-- cute?" She couldn't resist asking after a moment. 

Selena gushed. "Super cute!" She replied, her blue eyes twinkling. "He's so tall and so cool and suave… and the way he dresses himself… he's so… sexy, you know! So mysterious and-- "

"Are you forgetting that he disappeared during the war?" Ginny asked blandly.

"Well, yes I can't deny that fact." Selena said thoughtfully. "But then, he's still handsome and good-looking. He probably, doesn't remember me but I couldn't blame him, really. He was surrounded by dozens and dozens of beautiful women and I was like, only 15 or 14 years old at that time, not an eye-catcher if you ask me…" Selena babbled on and on much to Ginny's dismay.

"But you do realize that his father was in league with the Dark Lord, right?" Ginny insisted upon seeing the dreamy smile on the other woman's face.

"Oh Lord Shmord! It doesn't matter, really." Selena answered with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It was his father anyway and not him… ooh… another addition to that Bad-but-Drop-Dead-Sexy thing about him." She added almost drooling.

Ginny stared at her, her brown eyes becoming wide with shock. "Really, Selena… that man's one— uh—one--" She started, her hand flailing in the air as she thought of an appropriate word.

"That man's one what?"

Ginny whirled around to see Draco standing by the doorway, his hands in his trouser pockets, his lips set in the usual arrogant smirk she knew so well. At the sight of Draco, Selena gave out a tiny, girly squeak and stood up. Ginny frowned with much disapproval upon seeing the curvaceous form of Selena Malthus making its way towards him.

"You're—Draco Malfoy, am I correct?" Selena asked shyly, stopping a few feet away from him. 

"Yes." Draco answered smoothly, taking a step towards her. Selena held her breath as he stopped just inches away from her. "And you must be Selena Malthus?" He asked pleasantly. "You've grown to be a pretty young woman, I see."

Selena's eyes widened with surprise and pleasure. "He remembered me?" She thought as Draco lifted her hand and placed a light kiss on it. "He remembered me!" She added with obvious delight. She gave out a giggle as Draco finally let go of her hand.

"You will, of course, say hello to your Uncle from me?" He asked.

"Of—of course." Selena squeaked.

Ginny stood there, her eyes now flashing with irritation. Her body went rigid as she silently absorbed the on-going scene before her. How dare he? Her mind screamed. Then without thinking, she reached for the heavy paperweight and pushed it deliberately off the table. It created a heavy clunking noise as it hit the floor. Draco and Selena both turned to her, their eyes wide with surprise.

"Uh—wind." Ginny murmured as she bent down to pick the paperweight and partly to hide her hot, flushing face from his view. "Must have knocked down—the uh—"

Draco stared at her, his eyes lighting up with much amusement. For a second there, he let his eyes feast over her. She was wearing white again, much to his pleasure and dismay. Pleasure because her ensemble, though simple and plain, was really very alluring. He didn't miss the narrow waist and the small rounded hips her white semi-fitted blouse hinted. And he found himself thinking impishly again, then felt dismay because it would get him thinking about her all over again. He turned to Selena and smiled. "You must excuse Virginia." He said walking towards Ginny, who was currently placing the paperweight back on the table. "She's jealous." He finished standing beside her. At that, Ginny's eyes widened.

"I certainly am not!" She cried. She looked at Draco then to Selena who was watching her with wide blue eyes. "I certainly am not! That—that is ridiculous and—" She stuttered again. _"Then why did you have to make a scene by dropping the paperweight?"_ A tiny voice said at the back of her head. Ginny's frown deepened, ignoring it.

"She's my fiancé." Draco said to Selena delicately. Selena's eyes widened with obvious shock and disappointment. "And she's jealous." He finished again, irritating Ginny more.

"I am not!" She declared heavily.

At that, a spark of hope flickered in Selena's eyes. "You're not his fiancé?" She asked.

"NOT JEALOUS." Ginny said through gritted teeth. For a moment there, it made her wonder why she became irritated with the 'not his fiancé' thing Selena had said. Was Draco right? Was she feeling jealous? 

Selena turned to Draco questioningly. Draco, in turn, smiled and winked at her knowingly. Getting his meaning, Selena smiled back and turned to Ginny.

"You're not fooling anyone." Selena quipped. She gaily walked towards the pair and giggled. "But really, it's quite okay. I mean, I'm too young for him anyway." She said happily.

Ginny fumed.

Draco smiled. "Well, I'm sure you'll find someone who—deserves you." He said thoughtfully. He was so tempted to say "you'll find someone who looks like me" instead but seeing the dangerous look Ginny's sporting, he resisted the urge to say so.

"Can I come to your wedding?" Selena asked hopefully, turning to Ginny then to Draco. "Please?"

Ginny looked at her for a moment. She willed her mouth to say yes but surprisingly, she felt so unforgiving that she chose to remain silent. Draco then cleared his throat upon noting the look of subtle anger on Ginny's face. He turned to Selena and smiled. "Of course." He said mildly. "I believe that my grandfather's intending to invite everybody. You'll be at the engagement party, of course?" He added, raising his eyebrows in question.

"Oh! There will be an engagement party too? And everybody's invited?" She asked. When Draco nodded, Selena giggled with girlish delight, her hands clapping once. "You're grandfather must be so rich!" She gushed. 

Draco's usual calm demeanor cracked with the question. Ginny didn't miss the flicker of light annoyance in his eyes. Apparently, Selena had hit a sensitive spot. Ginny suppressed her giggles upon noticing Draco's forced calmness. "Just what is wrong with this guy?" She found herself asking as Draco struggled to look cool and unaffected. At that moment, she vowed to find out everything about Draco's relationship with his grandfather, which was obviously bad. It wouldn't hurt to use a little of it against him, right? 

"Uh… Draco, dear…" Ginny began as she tried to keep a straight face. "I believe that it's— we should get going?" She asked.

Draco turned to her seriously. "Yes. Grandfather will be expecting us to arrive at any moment now." He said. Then turning to Selena, he smiled. "It was so nice seeing you again, Ms. Malthus."

"Oh same here." Selena answered carelessly. And with that, Draco tipped his head and walked past them. Ginny turned to Selena and smiled.

"I'll see you." She said.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you." Selena said with a nod. "Do owl me and tell me everything, okay?"

Ginny nodded as her answer as Draco opened the door and motioned for her to go first. Once outside, Ginny turned to Draco, smiling, the unpleasant feeling a while ago completely vanishing.

"Do I detect a sour fruit here?" She asked as they walked side by side, making their way towards the orphanage's exit. She gave him a happy smile before walking past the oak doors.

"You seem so cheerful." Draco murmured as the coach driver opened the door for them. He stood aside to let Ginny climb in first. He followed next and shut the door gently. He sat before her and smiled. "Happy to see me at last?" He asked deliberately.

"Oh you can vex me all you want." Ginny said with a grin as the coach moved slowly away from the orphanage. "But I assure you nothing and no one can ruin this lovely night. Not even you." She added.

"And why is that?" He asked, taking his gold pocket watch out. Flipping it open, he gave out a soft curse and snapped it closed again.

"Just the way you looked the 'other night' was worth it." She said simply. At that, Draco looked up and eyed her sharply. Ginny met his stare and smiled pleasantly.

"Well, I just hope that that cheerful demeanor will last till you meet my grandfather." He finally answered as he slid his watch back inside his pocket. 

"You are so ancient." Ginny answered instead.

Draco raised his eyebrows questioningly. "I beg your pardon?" He asked.

"The pocket watch." She said. "Hello! It's the 21st century and you're still using a pocket watch? Can't rich Draco Malfoy afford himself a Rolex or something? Or was it that big, bad ol' mean Grandfather who didn't want to buy him one?" Ginny asked nastily.

"This a 17th century gold pocket watch." Draco answered patiently. "Other than it belonged to a long line of Malfoy's back then, the antique value of this pocket watch is more than the cost of a dozen Rolexes put together. Now tell me, why would I want a Rolex over this?" He added calmly.

At that, Ginny frowned and decided to let the subject drop. She rested her chin on her right hand and stared out the window. Draco, in turn, stared at her. His cold gray eyes reluctantly swept over her white blouse then to her semi-flowing skirt. He didn't miss the dainty and shapely legs sticking out of that skirt and much to his surprise, he began to breathe hard as the familiar fervent warmness rushed inside him. All in all, Virginia looked so fragile and so innocent. If he hadn't known her that well, he wouldn't dare think that this so-called fragile and innocent woman was also stubborn, fierce and ill tempered. Just thinking about the uncommon combination of her traits, the warmness increased even more. It also made him wonder—Was she still a virgin? He then raised his eyebrows. It was the 21st century! Was there such a thing? He mentally shrugged. Even so, virgin or not, he had finally come to the conclusion that Virginia Weasley was not the type of woman who gave in easily. Reflecting about that made his desire to bed her stronger. Taming a woman such as her would be a prize for he was sure that it wouldn't be that easy. She would be his victory.

"Excuse me, but didn't your mother teach you that it's quite rude to stare?" 

Draco blinked once and turned his attention back to her face. Ginny was frowning at him but he didn't miss the flicker of intrigue etched in her eyes. Smiling, he took his wand out.

"Suddenly feeling conscious?" He asked smoothly. 

"Well, no." Ginny answered, her voice already cracking with nervousness. Draco was looking at her again. And she never felt so… so… "Don't—look at me like that." She said in a tiny voice. She completely hated it when Draco looked at her like that. It was if he was trying to 'undress' her mentally. But then, deep inside she felt something else. Pleasure? Excitement? Fear?

Draco met her eyes and saw the conflicting emotions there. He then placed his wand on top of her right knee, making slow, small invisible circles with it, his eyes looking hotly at her. Ginny gasped but she found herself doing nothing, just staring, her heartbeat quickening, her face getting hot. Instantly, she felt all warm and feverish.

"So Virginia." Draco drawled, finally stopping. He leaned his body towards her and it didn't take him long to stare at her face which was just inches away because of the smallness of the carriage. "Are you nervous?" He asked silkily.

Ginny gulped. "A- a little." She stuttered. "Did—did you feel this too? I- I mean, the other night?" 

"Why are you asking?" He asked.

Ginny finally found the courage to shrug. "I don't know." She replied softly as Draco began inching towards her. "Just want—want to start a polite—conversation—"

With that, Draco chuckled. "Believe me, conversation is the last thing we want right now." He said and with that, he pulled her to him and began placing his lips over hers.

Ginny muffled out her surprise but nevertheless, she found herself letting her body take control, finally losing the fight. She closed her eyes and opened her lips to his, letting his tongue inside, meeting it with her own. She wrapped her arms about him and began trailing her hands to his hair, then to his neck, then to his back… After that first 'date', Draco hadn't kissed her like this and she was shocked to finally realize that she had actually missed this.

Draco let out a groan full of pleasure upon feeling her silky hands raking through his hair then to his back. Her fingers… those tiny fingers… they felt like butterflies, fluttering gently and stroking him sensuously… Without another moment's hesitation, Draco lifted her up and placed her on top of his lap, her legs automatically wrapping about him, straddling on top his. He tightened his arms around her waist and began kissing her neck, her ears… She let out a little cry. He smiled. She was sensitive there.

Ginny gasped out as hated pleasure surged inside her body. She threw her head back when she felt his lips against her neck, her hands clinging onto him helplessly. "Please—not—don't" Ginny said breathlessly as Draco's lips found one earlobe and began kissing it unmercifully while his hands left her waist only to undo her cloak. Just then, she felt 'something' hardening and pushing against her. She let out a tiny whimper as her hands flew to his shirt and clumsily tugged and yanked it. It seemed imperative to have less clothing between them, she had noticed.

Draco smiled again upon feeling the urgency of her movements. He wanted her! Right here, right now! She was making all sorts of whimpers and gasps that he was now fully aware of his body, screaming and aching against her. Completely forgetting himself, his expert hands went up to her blouse and began unbuttoning them one by one till it laid open before him, exposing the delicious swell of her breasts pushing out of her lace-white brassiere. He was about to take her meddlesome underthings off when he suddenly felt the bumpy movements of the carriage stopping.

"Malfoy Manor, Master Draco." His coach driver suddenly called.

Draco stopped abruptly while Ginny snapped back to reality. She looked down only to find herself on top of Draco in a most— provocative and stimulating position, her blouse wide open in front of him and her hands on his shirt, which was unsuccessfully unbuttoning them and Draco eyeing her with obvious irritation and disbelief at the sudden interruption and… disappointment. Blinking her eyes and jolting herself back to reality, she let out a curse, raised her hand and slapped Draco hard on the face.

"You—you— sorry piece of--" Ginny began, climbing down from him and settling herself across from him. She hastily buttoned her blouse up and straightened her skirt, eyeing him with much hatred. 

Draco, for a moment, stared at her with shock upon feeling the stinging pain across his cheek. She—slapped him! She slapped him! Never in his life--! At that, his eyes hardened as he began fixing his disarrayed collar, his anger rising. "What—" He paused and took a deep breath, calming the building fury inside him. "—was that all about?" He continued.

"You ask?" Ginny spat angrily. Then kicking the door open, she stared at him angrily. "Don't you ever, ever do that again or I swear I'll kill you!" She threatened before hopping down and stomping away from him furiously. 

"Haven't I heard that before?" Draco replied nastily. But that was so unsatisfying since Ginny was walking straight towards the castle doors, out of earshot. Cursing out loud, he climbed down the carriage and hastily made his way towards her, his hand gently massaging his sore cheek.

Ginny stopped before the door and turned around only to see Draco walking towards her. She looked away when he settled himself beside her. Draco, in turn, rapped the door thrice and waited.

"Stop kidding yourself." Draco suddenly said, not looking at her. "You wanted it too." He added, as the door opened to reveal his grandfather's ghost butler and valet, Fields, who bowed with politeness before them.

Ginny stared at the transparent form before her with shock. Never in her life had she seen a ghost butler! Now this was really very… uncommon. Then seeing the outstretched arm of the ghost, motioning for them to go in, Ginny took a step inside with Draco following close behind her. "I will not have this conversation with you." She hissed as they followed the butler down the dimly lit castle hall, making their way towards the dining hall.

Just then, Fields turned to them, taking their cloaks. "Master Malfoy has instructed that you wait for him in the dining hall." He said in a low, sorrowful tone that chilled Ginny's insides. "Dinner will be served after a moment." He continued. When Draco nodded, Fields then floated away from them.

Draco cleared his throat. "So much for the—" 

"Oh shut it!." Ginny said tiredly. 

"No, you—" Draco began calmly, his eyes narrowing coldly. No doubt, this will be a start of new squabble between them. He was about to open his mouth, when a third voice rang inside the hall.

"Draco, is that you?"

The two turned around only to see Narcissa Malfoy walking towards them. Ginny hung her head while Draco replaced the cold look on his face with cool civility.

"Mother," Draco said stepping towards her. He smiled and put his arm over her shoulders. "I would like you to meet, Virginia Weasley, my fiancé. Virginia, my mother." He said.

With that, Ginny forced herself to smile. "Good evening, Mrs. Malfoy." She said politely, slightly bowing her head. Upon seeing the delicate form of Narcissa Malfoy, her simple long black dress falling gently to her ankles, Ginny immediately learned where Draco got his good looks. She had silver gray eyes and fine, blond hair… so much like Draco's. And the way she moved, graceful and delicate, just like Draco… again. She couldn't deny the fact that Draco was graceful and, if not delicate, suave and smooth. Even the almost translucent quality of his skin… smooth and clear, were clearly from his mother. Now, looking at them standing side by side, Ginny surmised that if she hadn't known him, she would surely have though that they made a beautiful couple. 

Narcissa gave a delicate gasp of surprise. "Oh my!" She cried walking towards Ginny. "A Weasley?" She asked, her silver gray eyes widening. Ginny looked at her and nodded. Narcissa then smiled. "It's so nice to meet you at last." She said pleasantly, much to Ginny's surprise. "So how are Arthur and Molly, dear?" She asked, leading Ginny to a chair, completely leaving Draco staring at them with a frown.

"Oh, they are fine." Ginny answered. 

"That's good to hear." Narcissa replied. "I was so—"

Just then, the door banged open. Narcissa, Draco and Ginny looked up to see the huge form of Vladimir Malfoy II striding inside the dining hall, his heavy footsteps making Ginny's nerves coil. "Good evening, good evening!" He barked. 

Draco cleared his throat and subtly motioned for Ginny to stand up and walk towards him. "Grandfather," He started as Ginny placed herself beside him. "I want you to meet my fiancé, Virginia Malfoy." He said cordially.

Ginny let out a tiny smile as she stood there, speech ability completely leaving her, the carriage 'mishap' already forgotten. Vladimir, in turn, let his black eyes roam over her face, then to her clothes then back to her face again. The one thing that she noticed about Vladimir Malfoy was the unusual color of his skin. He looked so pale, in fact, so very, very pale. The only thing that Draco got from him was his towering height. When Ginny's brown eyes met his', she couldn't help but notice them momentarily softening. She fidgeted slightly as she felt him staring at her quite-- Ignoring it, she mustered up her courage and opened her mouth. "A pleasure, Mr. Malfoy." She said pleasantly. 

"Yes, yes…" Vladimir murmured as he finally tore his eyes away from her and made his way towards his seat, at the head of the long table. 

Draco nodded. "Right." He murmured and immediately made his way towards Ginny and held out the chair before her. Ginny sat delicately and waited for Draco to take the empty seat beside her.

"So, Virginia." Vladimir growled as a servant entered to serve them wine. "Are you by any chance related to Moira Aurelius?" He asked as he lifted his wine glass.

Ginny nodded. "Yes. Uh, she was my grandmother." She answered. "How- how did you know, may I ask?" She added frowning slightly.

"Hmm… red-hair." Vladimir said absently while nodding. He then took a sip of his wine. Then turning his black eyes to Draco, he cleared his throat. "Tell me, what made a sweet girl like you like my wretched grandson."

Ginny's eyes widened as she quickly turned to look at Draco's near-to-cracking expression. "I—I beg your pardon, sir?" She stuttered, the question completely catching her off guard.

"Oh you heard me!" Vlad barked. 

Ginny blinked her eyes furiously as the servants served them dinner one by one. "Well, I couldn't deny the fact that Draco's wretched, once in a while." She started. With that, Narcissa let out a tiny gasp, while Draco tried his best to smile pleasantly. All right, she's getting back at me, he thought a little crossly. 

"But I wasn't really looking for the perfect man, to tell you honestly." She said. "Draco's sweet and charming if he wants to be, actually. And he's just the right man for me because there's no such thing as the 'perfect' man. And I don't even mind the wretchedness, I can very well control that." She declared without losing her smile. 

At that, Draco let out a soft, almost inaudible snort of laughter. As he was in the verge of finishing off his wine when Ginny said that, he found himself pursing his lips to keep himself from spitting and laughing. Ginny? Control him? Now that was really absurd!

With that, Vlad nodded with undenied approval and chuckled. Narcissa took a relieved breath while Draco looked at Ginny and smiled. "And what makes you that confident?" Vlad asked after a moment. "Even I have a hard time controlling this blasted boy." He added as if Draco wasn't there. 

Ginny frowned as she looked at Draco out of the corner of her eyes. She was actually surprised to notice that Draco's usual cool and calm demeanor was almost near to flaring, which was very odd. It was very seldom for Draco to show his emotions let alone to be 'obviously' angry or annoyed. It seemed like nobody but Vladimir Malfoy II could annoy and vex Draco like that. She just couldn't believe Draco was just sitting there and taking everything! It was so unlike him! 

"Well, I—guess, I just got used to it." She replied finally. "I can't deny the fact that I will be marrying a brute, " Ginny smiled and turned to him. "Sorry about that, dear. No offense." She said so sweetly that she nearly puked. 

Draco, in turn, smiled back. "None taken." He quipped.

Ginny smiled and turned to Vladimir once again whom was watching them, more like scrutinizing them, with his hawk-black eyes. "But really, Draco's a sweet and charming brute." She finished.

"You are very well aware that your using irony here, are you not?" Vladimir said as he placed the table napkin on his lap.

"Yes, of course. " Ginny answered without losing her cool. She delicately unfolded her own table napkin and placed it on her lap as well. "But that's what making this marriage more exciting, don't you think?" She asked then much to her disbelief, she smiled and winked mischievously at Vladimir. Vladimir, in turn, looked at her, his eyes widening while Draco and Narcissa all waited, holding their breaths. Surely, something that—that daring wasn't proper… it wasn't proper when you spoke with the head of the Malfoy clan. It was very, very--

"What the hell was she thinking?" Draco's brain screamed. "Doing a thing like that!"

Just then, loud, raucous laughter rang inside the dining hall. Draco turned to his grandfather to see him shaking his head in laughter. He also noticed that he was actually looking at Ginny quite fondly and with amusement. It was simply—unbelievable.

"You are a very different girl, I noticed." Vladimir boomed. _"And you remind me so much of your grandmother."_ He silently added to himself.

"Well, that's me." Ginny sighed. "Atypical, different ol' Ginny" 

At that, Vladimir chuckled as they finally started the meal, conversing pleasantly. He asked her questions from time to time, the topics varying from economics, then to politics then down to personal things such as who her parents were, who her brothers were, how old were they and what her parents did… Although Ginny found his interrogation a bit irksome, (she also find it unusual for a Malfoy to be this interested with Muggle things) she granted him a dimpled smiled and tried answering all his questions politely.

Draco, on the other hand, listened with reluctant amusement. Surprisingly, he wasn't in the mood right now to speak and to take part in the lively and enlightening conversation about the Ministry's new set of Magical Laws about the added security of the Muggle community (which Ginny answered quite passably since Percy worked in the Ministry) unlike before. Although, his grandfather would demand for his opinion now and then, Draco found himself shutting his mouth and listening with much amazement at how Virginia intelligently answered everything his grandfather asked. It actually astounded him to find out how quickly Virginia was able to adapt to his grandfather's sour disposition. And from the looks of it, just seeing Ginny's brown eyes sparkling and her demeanor bubbling with cheerfulness, it was no doubt that she was having the time of her life. He couldn't help but also notice that his grandfather was smiling and chuckling more and more and at that moment, Draco knew he had scored. It was Virginia's charm and wit that finally secured him his inheritance. 

"I heard that you work in the Muggle world?" Vladimir asked as he deftly brought his knife to his steak.

"Yes, sir." Ginny replied politely. "I teach Muggle history."

"Ah yes, Muggle history." Vlad said. "Fascinating… I was once interested in the Egyptian culture, mind you. My most favorite Pharaoh of all was Hatshepsut. He was the best ruler in the 18th dynasty if I recall." He shook his head with wonder. "Amazing ol' chap, really! He was the best man for the job, I tell you!"

With that, Ginny's smile faltered a little. "Hatshepsut was a woman." She said softly.

Vladimir stopped abruptly while Narcissa turned to her then to the old man fearfully. Draco forced a smile on his face and nudged Ginny. "Honey, I'm sure Hatshepsut was what—" Perhaps he was wrong… oh, why did she have to say this now? He thought. Or do this?

"A woman you say?" Vlad interrupted. Ginny nodded reluctantly. It seems like Vladimir Malfoy II wasn't used to being uh—corrected. Well, it was about time someone stood up to him. "He's a man, lass! I tell yeh, he was Pharaoh and Pharaoh's are all men!" He said loudly.

At that, Ginny found herself frowning. "I'm sorry but I teach Muggle history and I just couldn't agree with that fact, if you don't mind." She said clearly.

Draco cleared his throat. "Virginia, I think that—"

"Let's hear it then!" Vladimir challenged, completely ignoring Draco. "Come on, lass, let's hear it then."

Ginny cleared her throat. "Hatshepsut was actually the female ruler of Egypt." She began. "She was an 18th dynasty Pharaoh, daughter of Thuthmose I and Aahmes. When her father died her half brother, Thuthmose II, ascended to the throne. He was young, apparently younger than Hatshepsut herself. Due to that, Hatshepsut became his regent and they ruled Egypt together. It was after a number of years she proclaimed herself as Pharaoh."

"That's rubbish!" Vladimir replied. "Then why are all her pictures—they all look like men to me."

Ginny nodded her head. "Well, yes that's true." She answered. "Hatshepsut had this crazy notion about being a man. She wanted everyone to think so strongly of her that she had her every portrait drawn with her having a beard. She even groomed her daughter to be a prince and not a princess." She continued as she placed a piece of steak inside her mouth.

"Will—you excuse me?" Vladimir asked standing up abruptly. He then made his way outside the dining hall leaving the three looking at him with confusion. 

"Where's he going?" Ginny asked the two before her. Draco shrugged while Narcissa eyed her with disapproval.

"Probably he went off to check his books." She just answered. After a moment, Vladimir went back inside the dining hall and grumpily took his seat.

"I just had it looked up." He growled. Ginny raised her eyebrows. "And I guess, you were right." Then he smiled, and looked at her with much amusement then turning to Draco he frowned. "Consider yourself lucky to have such an intelligent woman, boy!" He growled as he quickly finished his steak.

"Yes, grandfather." Draco forced himself to say. Now, that was something! Vladimir Malfoy II admitting he was wrong? Whatever was happening to the world right now?

"So, then, Ms. Weasley." He said finally standing up, a sign for the end of the dinner night, well, at least for him. "You are a very beautiful, delightful and intelligent young woman… well, not so intelligent since you chose to marry my grandson…"

Ginny smiled politely. 

"However, I find you refreshing, grown up to perfection and I'm pleased to announce that I have no objection to you marrying my grandson, no matter how absurd I think it is." He continued. "I'll see you at the engagement party and you," Vladimir barked turning to Draco. "You boy, will see to the wedding preparations?"

"Yes, grandfather." Draco answered.

"I'll take Virginia to Diagon Alley tomorrow for her dress and things." Narcissa seconded.

"Very well." Vladimir said nodding his head. "I'm sorry if we have to cut this lovely evening short. I would love to have coffee with you but I have to retire." He added. Then turning to Ginny, he smiled, took her hand and lightly kissed it. "It was a pleasure getting to know you, Virginia."

"Good night, Mr. Malfoy." She said.

Vladimir shook his head. "From now on, you call me Grandfather." He ordered.

With that, Ginny smiled. "Yes, Grandfather."

"Now, that's more I like it." Vladimir said. "We will have another chat some other time?" He inquired, with his eyebrows raised in question.

"Of course." Ginny answered.

"Excellent, excellent." Vladimir replied with a delicate wave of his hand. He then turned around and made his way towards the doors. "Then I bid you all good night."

"Good night, Father." Narcissa answered politely.

"Good night, Grandfather." Draco answered at the same time. 

After a moment, Narcissa stood up. Seeing that, Draco immediately sprang up from his seat. "I think I've already reached my limit." She said chuckling softly. "You take care of Virginia dear." She added. Then turning to Ginny, she smiled. "I'm sorry dear but I guess tonight's excitement has worn me down. I feel so tired."

"Oh no, no, please don't mind me." Ginny said quickly. "We'll be fine." She assured her.

"We'll walk you to the stairs." Draco offered. "Are you finished, Virginia?" He asked, looking at her half-eaten steak.

"Yes." She replied standing up as well. "I'm already full."

"Very well, then." Narcissa said, turning around and making her way towards the exit, with Draco and Ginny following close behind her. "Why don't you two go in the living room and have some tea or coffee?" She suggested as they made their way across the hall.

"Yes, mother." Draco murmured as they stopped before the manor's grand, wooden staircase. Narcissa then turned to the couple and smiled. "Good night, dear." She said giving Draco's arm a tiny squeeze.

Draco nodded his head. "Good night, mother."

Narcissa smiled and turned to Virginia. "It's finally nice to meet you." She said.

"Likewise." Ginny answered smiling back.

"Don't forget that I have to take you to Diagon Alley tomorrow, all right?" Narcissa said as she slowly made her way up the stairs. "Owl me early tomorrow morning."

"I will." Ginny said, watching Narcissa's retreating figure. "Good night." She called. Then they stood there, alone. Draco turned to her.

"Shall we go to the living room and have coffee?" He asked.

Ginny stood there and looked at him. "I don't want to be alone with you." She said nastily, the scene in the carriage coming back onto her again full force. "I'm going home if you don't mind." 

Draco chuckled without mirth. "Stop pretending and do yourself a favor, Virginia." He drawled arrogantly. "I promise you, you will find it quite enjoyable too."

"With you?" She spat back. Then she shook her head. "I doubt it."

His eyes narrowed dangerously as he inched towards her. "Don't tell me you didn't like it." He rasped. Then he stopped. "Was Potter a better man?" He asked cruelly.

At that, Ginny's eyes widened. "How dare you?" She said with soft menace.

Draco smirked. "It's just a simple question that requires a simple answer." He said darkly. "Was Potter a better man?" He repeated.

At that, Ginny's temper snapped. She raised her hand and was about to bring it across his cheek but Draco was fast. He raised his hand and held hers fast, stopping her, his fingers digging so deeply onto her wrists that red, nasty bruises began to appear. 

"You let go of me!" Ginny threatened, her voice hissing.

"Just yes or no, Virginia." He said instead, not letting go of her hand.

She stared at him. She forced herself to say 'Yes, Harry's a better kisser than you' just to insult him but surprisingly nothing came out of her mouth. She couldn't say yes, but she couldn't possibly say no either. Just the way his hands touched her everywhere… the way she had clung to him, her body begging… Her lower lip trembled. "What- what I do with Harry or with anyone is none of your concern." She answered instead.

Draco chuckled. "Thought you'd say that." He said. Then to Ginny's shock, he slowly brought her hands to his lips and lightly kissed the red bruises he had caused. "It won't hurt to be honest, you know." He said arrogantly after Ginny snatched her hand away.

"I AM BEING HONEST." She said indignantly. 

He smiled. "I don't believe you." He replied. Then without giving Ginny a chance to answer back, he cleared his throat. "Fields!" He called.

"Yes, young master." Fields immediately answered, floating towards them. As if reading their minds, he handed them their traveling cloaks.

"Have the coach ready." Draco ordered.

The ghost butler nodded his head. "Very well, sir." It replied before floating out of their sight. Once alone, Ginny turned to Draco angrily.

"I told you I don't want to be alone with you." She said taking her wand out. "I'll disapparate, if you don't mind."

"Be my guest." Draco just said. "I bid you good night, Virginia."

And with that, Virginia eyed him darkly before disappearing from his sight.

==========

"I tell you, Fields." Vladimir said that night as he prepared himself for bed. "I like that girl!" He boomed as he climbed onto his enormous bed.

"Very good, master Malfoy." Fields replied as he skillfully pulled the heavy velvet drapes down. 

"That girl's got moral fiber… and such character…" He said as he laid his head down against his pillow. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "Reminds me of someone I used to know, Fields." He added softly.

"Will there be anything else, sir?" The ghost asked after picking up Vladimir's boots. 

"No, that will be all." Vladimir replied yawning.

"Very well, sir." Fields replied floating away from the bed. "Have a good night, Master."

Vladimir gave out an acknowledging grunt as his reply. When he felt the stillness in the room, he smiled lightly.

__

"I have finally seen you again, Moira." He thought as he drifted off the sleep.

  


End of Part VII 

  


Author's Notes: As you have noticed, I've inserted some facts about history and stuff here... they are actually true. Hatshepsut was really a woman Pharaoh back in the 18th dinasty. And yes ::nods:: she had her portraits drawn with her having a beard on them. She actually died a very mysterious death. Nobody knew if she was murdered, she just vanished and all the records about her time were destroyed, only a few were retrieved. 

About Narcissa Malfoy, I'm not really sure if she's that sweet but here in my fic, I've just decided to make her a sweet and loving mother, after Lucius' death. It wasn't really mentioned in HP series that's why I wrote my own version of Narcissa... and also I'm not really sure of what she looks like. Anyway, that's all! Thanks for reading!!! Please review... ::waves::


	8. Harry Potter and The Serpent Necklace

Author's Notes: Okay! I AM SUCH A NUT! I didn't realize that people were referring to me about the 'signed in' thing. Anyway, I've changed it already. And about the 'ghost butler' concept, that was from Cassie too. Great fics she got! Of course, I think everybody knows her Draco Trilogy? They are simply classics! 

Tuva: I'm really sorry… but okay! I usually do my fics in HTML form. So I do them in notepad, and if too long, I do them in Wordpad. Now, using the two applications, you have to know the HTML commands on how to italize or make your text bold. But if you have Winword, which I think you have, you can just type everything in ITALIZED text and just save them with a .html extension. 

Animagus-steph: Wow! Thanks so much for giving out long reviews!

Coffe: Whoa! That was some nice review! Thanks so much! Glad to be of help!

Gryffiegirl: Thanks so much for agreeing! People, Gryffiegirl just agreed to make Ginny and Draco's wedding portrait! Waiii!!! Can't wait to see it!

Another thing, I'm not really sure about Harry's characterization here… so please do bear with me. Seems like I have trouble when it comes to him. Anyway, if anybody could give me help about Harry, please e-mail me. Thanks! Okay, enough author's notes! Here's Part VIII! Enjoy!

Serpent's Bride VIII: Harry Potter and the Serpent Necklace

"And please raise your arms a little bit, dear," Narcissa said as she paced back and forth while thoughtfully waving her wand in the air inside Ginny's small room. Ginny obliged while Molly, in turn, pursed her lips as her eyes surveyed the partially made wedding dress on Ginny. Narcissa finally stopped and turned to her. "It's a little bit loose on this side," she added.

"Yes, I think so," Molly agreed as the two women both made their way towards Ginny and began adjusting the dress just a little below her right underarm. Ginny stood still as Narcissa held the folded part in place while Molly began sticking pins here and there. She sighed tiredly and turned miserably, watching her reflection.

She was feeling so, so tired. Her sides were aching and her arms were feeling stiff... it had been what-- five hours already since eight in the morning? It seemed that Narcissa Malfoy and Molly Weasley couldn't make their minds up. Ginny shifted her weight to her other foot impatiently and turned her attention to the two fussing mothers before her, her face growing thoughtful. It really amazed her to see how quickly Narcissa and Molly became friends... Well, if they weren't friends, they were quite civil and tolerant of each other. Other than the fact that Draco was about to marry Ginny, it was the way Narcissa tried her best to reach out towards Molly that encouraged the friendship. It actually surprised Ginny when she heard Draco's mother apologizing for Lucius' behavior to her parents and when Narcissa asked if they could start all over again. Her parents, though a little reluctant at first, agreed. Or maybe it was because of the way her mother behaved during their trip to Diagon Alley yesterday? She thought. It was no doubt that Narcissa was quite impressed at how Molly haggled for her wedding dress.

"Oh and honey," Molly said, standing up. Ginny looked up and raised her eyebrows. 

"Yes?" she asked.

"Don't shift you weight like that," her mother said, smiling gently at her. "It'll ruin your shoes."

At that, Ginny sighed and stood straight. If she had just known that she would have to go through all through this trouble, then she wouldn't have agreed to this marriage in the first place!

"Virginia, just a little more patience," Narcissa said, as if reading her mind. She smiled apologetically at her.

"A little more patience and you will see my arms falling off," Ginny replied miserably. "Can't we just continue this tomorrow, or maybe later?" she asked hopefully.

Narcissa shook her head. "Oh, Virginia dear, we don't have much time," she said. "You're wedding's a week from now and doing these alterations will take days. And then later—"

"It's your engagement party, remember?" supplied Molly as she stepped backwards surveying the alterations. Then she turned to Narcissa. "Really, Mrs. Malfoy," she said tiredly. "I can't see the point of doing this when we could've let Edwina handle everything," she added.

"Oh, I just want Virginia's wedding dress to be perfect," Narcissa answered as she placed the veil on Ginny's head. "Believe me, it's much better if we do the alterations. That way, we can be sure that it'll fit her perfectly," then she sighed. "Kind of reminds me of my own time. Lucius' mother really made quite a fuss at _Madam Malkin's_—"

"Oh, so that's why when Edwina saw us—" Molly shook her head as she remembered the look of dismay and dread on the face of Madam Malkin's assistant, Edwina Lovelock, when they had entered their shop.

Narcissa gave out a soft giggle. "We really made quite an impression back then," she said. "A very horrible impression, that is."

"Is this veil supposed to be this long?" Ginny asked abruptly with a frown, completely ignoring the conversation about Edwina's dreadful dress much to the dismay of Madam Malkin or something of the sort. She took off the veil and held it before her. "Too long, if you ask me," she added.

"Oh yes, it's supposed to be that long," Narcissa answered, placing the veil upon Ginny's head once more. Then she turned to Molly, smiling. "I just can't believe we got this fabulous dress at such a big discount," she breathed with delight as she fingered the lush material of the dress made from silk.

"Well, what can I say? I'm the best when it comes to shopping," Molly said airily.

"Mom's used to it," quipped Ginny, chuckling as she put her arms down. She couldn't forget how her mother had been when they still had to buy school things. When it came to haggling, there was no one better than Molly Weasley.

"I never knew you could do that inside the shops," Narcissa said with disbelief, as if the thought of haggling was illegal. "Oh well, at least I know now. Maybe you could accompany me sometime?" she asked hopefully.

"No problem," Molly replied naturally. It actually hadn't surprised her to learn that Narcissa Malfoy didn't know that haggling was allowed in any shop at Diagon Alley. But then, she was a Malfoy and Malfoys didn't haggle or bargain or ask for prices and such, right? They just chose and bought. Haggling about the price was always out of the question. Then she frowned. "So I take it that the engagement party will be held at your manor?" she asked Narcissa.

"Uh no, it will be at Vlad Manor," Narcissa replied as she took the veil from Ginny's red hair, rumpling her mane even more.

"Vlad Manor?" Ginny echoed. "So, there are actually two— then whose manor did we—"

"Oh, that's Vlad Manor," Narcissa answered as Ginny struggled carefully out of the dress. Molly waved her wand, casting a spell to hold the pins firmly in place. "It was originally known as Malfoy Manor but then, Lucius, not creative as he was, also named his own manor Malfoy Manor. In order to avoid confusion, people call Father's manor Vlad Manor and our manor Malfoy Manor," she explained as Ginny stood there in her underwear.

"The confusion of being too rich," Molly said, sighing as she neatly folded the dress and placed it inside the box. "And how about the wedding?" she asked after a moment.

"Draco and I have decided to have it at uh—Malfoy Manor," Ginny muffled out as she put on her mesh, light brown off-the-shoulder gypsy style dress. She brought her hands to her shoulder sleeve and pulled it down lightly, exposing a pair of slender and freckled shoulders. "And speaking of Draco—" she stopped when a sudden a knock echoed inside the room.

"Can I come in already?" Draco asked from behind the door.

"Yes, we have already kept the dress," Ginny answered as Molly, in turn, opened the door. Draco let out a warm smile as he stepped inside. Ginny frowned as she surveyed Draco's tall build inside her room. Indeed, a towering Draco inside a little girl's room was a bad combination. He really looked out of place, terribly clashing with the baby blue and white wallpaper of her room and the soft, light yellow hue of her quilt, pillows and bed sheets. She turned away and began arranging her messy hair into a tight ponytail, letting the curly red tips hang down her back. Draco, in turn, stared at her first, his eyes not missing the slender and smooth shoulders sticking out of her dress, before smiling at the two older women standing just beside Ginny. 

__

"Damn nice shoulders she's got there," he thought. "Don't tell me you believe that Muggle superstition of forbidding the groom to see the wedding dress before the wedding?" Draco finally asked, raising an eyebrow at the two mothers. "Because if you do, it's really pointless," he added as he shook his head.

"Well, there's no harm in it," Molly said as she picked Ginny's shoes up and returned it to its box.

"And besides, it's not superstition, it's true," Narcissa supplied. "Look at what happened to the Walkers! I heard that Oliver saw Margaret's dress before the wedding and in just three years, the marriage became rocky," she said, shaking her head. "And there's this one, with the Harper's— look at what it got them. They still have no children!"

"Really?" Molly asked her eyes wide. "Oh my, that's why Emma's having difficulty having children! Oh, I wouldn't want that to happen to my Ginny! I want little grandchildren running around here!" she added.

At that, Ginny let out an uncomfortable choke. She turned to her mother and frowned. More grandchildren! Weren't Robert, Miranda, Patrice, and mischievous little Sylvia enough? What more could her mother ask for? For a second there, Ginny felt her stomach flipping. Babies? With Draco? Unwillingly, she paled a little. That's— that's— Well she had nothing against babies… In fact, she loved them— but having Draco's baby? 

"Really, mother," Draco said upon seeing Ginny's near-to-fainting reaction. "The wonders of gossip," he added, chuckling a little.

"It's not gossip, dear," Narcissa said, frowning. "And I completely agree with Molly. I wouldn't want that to happen to Virginia. I want to have little grandchildren making noise and raising hell inside the manor. I'm sure your grandfather wouldn't mind that either. Oh, a pretty girl would do or a lovely boy, " she added dreamily.

"Well that thing surely won't happen to us," Draco replied charmingly. "I'm healthy, Virginia's healthy, we're both healthy and I assure you we can give you lots and lots of grandchildren when the timing's right,"

__

"You idiot! You're making empty promises!" Ginny's brain screamed. She glowered darkly at Draco when Molly and Narcissa turned away from them momentarily. When Draco smiled cruelly, she opened her mouth. _"Asshole,"_ she mouthed. Then she placed her fingers at her temple and shook her head. _"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid son of a-"_

"Ginny dear are you all right?" 

Ginny stopped and looked up to see her mother's worried face before her. She forced out a smile. "Uh—yes, mother," she said.

"You're not coming down with a headache, are you Virginia?" Narcissa asked.

"No, no— I'm all right, really," she said. Then she turned to Draco who replaced the cruel expression of his face with that of concern. "Aren't we going to pick out the rings?" she asked weakly while putting her thick cloak over her bare shoulders.

"Oh yes," Draco said as he lightly placed his hand on her shoulder. "If you ladies don't mind," he said as he pulled Ginny with him to the door. "I'll take my bride with me for a while," he added, his face alight with a smile.

"Are you two still planning to come back here?" Molly called as the couple slowly descended the stairs towards the Burrow's small living room. Narcissa followed suit, closing the door gently.

"We'll just go directly at the manor," Draco answered as they stopped before the fireplace. "I think it's best if Virginia fix herself up there, less time consuming," he added as Ginny held the pot full of floo powder before him. He then turned to her and smiled. "You go first, honey," he said so kindly that Ginny nearly felt herself puking.

"I'll see you later, Mother," Ginny said as she took a handful of the powder. "Please, do tell the others okay?" she said. When Molly nodded, Ginny waved goodbye and lightly blew the powder into to the fire. When the flames sparked green, she cleared her throat. "Diagon Alley please," she said clearly and jumped into the flames.

"Mother, Mrs. Weasley?" Draco said.

"Yes, honey, I'll see you later," said Narcissa with a nod.

"Take care." Molly called.

"Thank you," said Draco as he waved goodbye and blew some of the powder onto the flames. Then saying his destination, he leaped into the flames and disappeared from the living room.

==========

"Nasty way to travel, if you ask me," Draco quipped after a moment. He lightly brushed the soot off his suit. "Why did we have to use floo powder anyway?" he asked as they started walking down the crowded street of Diagon Alley.

"Oh, I just knew it would annoy you," Ginny replied sarcastically. She tightened her cloak about her. _"It's getting colder and soon it'll start to snow,"_ she said to herself, looking at the clear sky. _"I can't believe its Christmas time once again."_ Great! She would be spending a bleak Christmas with Malfoy! She thought sarcastically. 

"Okay, note taken: Apparate when with a Weasley," he said as they stopped before a shop called _Goldberg's Jewelry,_ completely unaware of the sarcastic thoughts in her head. 

"You're such a damn good liar," said Ginny after a moment. Draco turned to her in confusion. Noting the tone of her voice, he couldn't exactly say if she was impressed or embittered about his supposed lying—well, if ever he lied, that is. 

"Excuse me?" asked Draco with raised eyebrows. "Now I lied. About what, may I ask?"

Ginny looked at him in disbelief and shook her head. "I can't believe you don't know," she exclaimed with irritation.

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about," replied Draco impatiently. "Look, Virginia, we're here to purchase wedding rings and not to play some stupid guessing game. Now if you have something bad to say about me, which I'm sure you have, then let's have it out," he added. Then to his surprise, Ginny's face went scarlet. He frowned.

Ginny upon noting the impatience written across his face, cleared her throat softly. She took a deep breath first before opening her mouth. "You told our parents," she started, "about— about having children."

"And that made me a liar?" he asked blandly.

"Yes!" Ginny incredelously. "That was stupid! You very well knew that children are not included in our arrangement and there you were being all dreamy and giddy about having them in front of our parents!"

"Excuse me but I wasn't at all dreamy and giddy," said Draco calmly.

"Even so, I can't believe you gave them empty promises! You lied to them and— and--," she paused and took another deep breath. Finally she said, "I— what are we going to do then? There's no doubt they're going to, you know, expect some--" She stopped and shook her head tiredly. _"Silly ass!"_

At that, Draco crinkled his eyebrows and pretended to think. Then he turned to her and smiled. "If I recall, I said something about right timing," he replied. "And what if that right timing never comes because of the DIVORCE we're going to get after two or three months? Surely they won't expect us to give them grandchildren with that kind of scenario, right? Suffice it to say, I didn't lie to them." Then he chuckled. "Really, Virginia, you worry too much." 

Realizing he had a good point, Ginny turned to him and could do nothing but glare. Draco looked back at her, unfazed. He was used to being glared at anyway. To his surprise, Ginny shook her head and smiled sweetly.

"Look how filthy you are," she said as she took out her hankie, tip toed up at him and automatically began wiping the dirt off his face to which he submitted to like a little boy— much to his surprise.

"That's sweet of you but really it isn't necessary," said Draco as Ginny began to wipe hard, making his cheek sore. "Virginia, okay… that's— that's fine… stop it… " 

Ginny smiled nastily as she pressed her hand harder. Draco let out a soft curse and forcefully took her hand away from his cheek. "That was totally immature," he said as his hand flew to his sore cheek. "Sweet but immature," he added, smirking unpleasantly.

"I don't care what you think," she answered back, noting the red blot on his cheek with satisfaction. 

He shook his head with exasperation. "I can't believe I'm marrying a brat," he said as he opened the door for her. Ginny shot him a dark look upon hearing his obvious sarcasm.

"I can't believe I'm marrying a Malfoy," said Ginny spitefully.

"You make it sound like it's wrong marrying a Malfoy," said Draco as they made their way inside the shop. He then stopped behind the counter and eyed her lazily. "Be careful of what you say, Virginia," he drawled softly. "You don't have a single idea on how it feels to be a Malfoy. You might like it."

At that, Ginny turned to him with the same half-lidded gaze. "That's right, Malfoy," she said, her voice rich with rancor. "Keep telling yourself that."

"Just heed what I said," said Draco. "You might like it."

"I don't like you now," spat Ginny blandly. "And there's a big possibility that I never will. You know why? Because I don't trust you."

Draco smirked. "I won't bet on it, Virginia," he said, his voice low and raspy. "Because YOU don't trust YOURSELF when you're with me."

For a moment, she stopped, his statement catching her off guard. Ginny stared at him, the hated truth and acceptance sinking in. Yes, it wasn't him. It was herself! She didn't trust herself when she with him. She didn't trust herself and what she was capable of doing when alone with him. She was just not in control of herself everytime they were together, alone. But nevertheless she turned to him and smiled tauntingly. "Don't try me, Malfoy," she said testily, trying her best to deny the disturbing realizations swimming inside her head. "I'm in total control when it comes to my life. I know what I like and I know what I don't like. And right now, my brain is saying that I really don't like you."

"Really?" he asked as he rang the bell for assistance, his arms resting on top of the glass display cabinets full of rings, jewelry and other precious stones. "It's your brain talking and frankly I can't blame it for saying that. That's what it feels. But what about your—" he stopped and looked at her from head to foot instead, his eyes rich with unmistakable want and appreciation. When he saw Ginny blush, he chuckled softly. "You see," he said knowingly. "I'm barely touching you, Virginia." 

Ginny swore mentally and narrowed her eyes. "Just don't try me," she repeated, looking away and desperately suppressing the urge to give in, to wallow in the silver pools that promised her 'sinful' pleasures. _"He's just seducing you Virginia Weasley! Get a hold of yourself!" _Her brain screamed. She really hated herself when he looked at her like that! "You're just too sure of yourself, aren't you?"

Draco just smiled and shrugged. They stood there in a tension-filled silence, with Ginny taking in deep quick and calming but silent breaths, until a low voice rang inside the shop. The two looked up to see a middle-aged wizard in black robes with gold trimmings emerge from the storeroom. 

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy," he greeted as he straightened his black, pointed hat. "Right on time, I see," he added, smiling pleasantly.

"Yes," Draco replied with a slight nod. Then he turned to Virginia casually, the sexual tension in the air immediately replaced with civility. "My fiancé, Virginia Weasley," he added, without even bothering to introduce him to her in return. It puzzled Ginny. But what puzzled her even more was when the wizard nodded as if he was actually expecting not to be introduced. 

The wizard turned to her and smiled. "A pleasure Ms. Weasley," he greeted giving her a polite bow.

Ginny smiled and nodded, quite amazed at the show of courteousness before her, which she deemed as too much. She turned momentarily to Draco only to see the look of subtle impatience across his face as he studied the rings and other precious fineries before him with feigned interest. It was without a doubt that Draco was used to this kind of treatment. _"So the Malfoy name still commands respect,"_ Ginny thought as she brought her attention back at the wizard behind the counter, awaiting for her acknowledgement. But then, she couldn't help but feel quite— good about it. For the first time in her life she felt important and if felt nice— it mortified her a little. So was this one of the benefits she would be getting? This was what he was talking about earlier? Good lord! If it was, then she must stop this at once! She could get used to this! Flashing out her friendliest smile, she finally said, "It's so nice to meet you too," her voice light and cheerful. "Surely you do have a name, don't you?" she added so buoyantly that made Draco frown slightly. The wizard looked at Draco's disapproving reaction unsurely then back to Ginny.

"Daniel, Madam," he answered respectfully. "Daniel Lucas." 

Ginny grinned. "Well then Mr. Lucas," she said holding out her hand. "It's a pleasure," she added as the man finally took her hand and shook it softly. "I do hope that you would help us pick out one of the finest rings you've got," she said as she took her hand back.

"Of- of course Madam," Daniel Lucas said, his eyes wide with surprise at the sudden show of familiarity. 

Draco frowned with subtle irritation upon hearing the awed tone of the other man's voice. His frowned deepened even more when he heard Ginny's heartfelt thanks. He then cleared his throat noisily. "Virginia, we don't have much time," he said, his voice tight. 

Ginny turned to him momentarily. It was clear to her that he wasn't pleased by her friendly attitude towards Daniel. She rolled her eyes. Geez! Really now! Malfoys! Who did they think they were? Gods? The masters of the universe? She then looked away from him and nodded. "So Mr. Lucas," she began as she turned her attention to the rings in the display glass cases below her arms. "We're having a wedding a week from now. What do you recommend?" she asked.

Daniel frowned thoughtfully at first then proceeded to open the glass case. "Might I suggest," he began as he got a pair of gold bands from the lot, "these pair of rings— it is made from one hundred percent pure, soft golden horn of a Romanian Longhorn dragon," he continued as he handed the rings to the couple for inspection. "Quite uncommon, you see… its rarity value is high… since the number of Longhorns have fallen so low, making its golden horns as Class B Tradeable Material."

Ginny frowned as she studied the ring. It was really exquisite, its golden color giving out an uncommon sparkle, which was different and better compared to Muggle gold. But then, it got her thinking. If its rarity value was high and with the unusual beauty of the gold used then— she shook her head. No, she didn't want to spend so much—

"It's too plain," Draco said suddenly as he inspected the ring between his fingers. "Don't you have anything else? Perhaps with a precious stone?" he asked as he put the ring down much to Ginny's bewilderment.

Daniel nodded. "Ah yes, Mr. Malfoy," he said as he immediately took another pair of rings from the glass cabinet and handed it to them. Ginny's eyes widened with wonder and natural female delight upon seeing the aesthetic design of the ring before her. It was made from pure gold, a gold better than the Longhorn since it glistened beautifully and brightly against the light. The stone at the middle, she noticed, was red and sparkling. She took a deep breath.

"That ring's band," Daniel started, "is made with the Golden Snidget's feathers. You may also notice the unusual sparkle of the stone in the center?" 

"Yes," Draco murmured as he eyed the stone with interest.

"It's actually from the Golden Snidget too, its ruby red eyes mixed with the iridescent pearly scales of the Antipodean Opaleye dragon. Of course, the rarity value is higher since Golden Snidgets are hard to come by these days plus the exceptional talent of a potion's master," he supplied. Then he turned to Ginny. "Perhaps the Miss would like to give it a try?" he asked.

Draco turned to her. "Virginia?" he asked, his eyebrows raised in question.

Ginny turned to him then to the ring quite not sure. "I—I—" she stammered. Draco frowned with amusement upon seeing the overwhelmed expression on her face. Surely, she wasn't thinking about the price, right? Other than he had already reached an agreement with Goldberg the other day with regards to the price-- He stifled a smile in spite of himself. Geez! Really now! Weasleys! Who did they think they were? Hopeless charity cases? They'd just struck it rich! If this was Blaise— he shook his head.

Ginny, upon seeing the look on Draco's face, bit her lip. She then sighed. "Oh all right," she said and promptly slid the ring onto her left ring finger. A perfect fit. Ginny held her hand before her. "It's beautiful…" she gushed. But then, she couldn't possibly… she hastily took the ring off her finger.

"I prefer the other one," she forced herself to say.

Draco frowned. "Are you quite sure Virginia?" he asked. He picked up the other ring and held the two rings before her. "You prefer the one made from the Longhorn than the one made from the Snidget and the Antipodean Opaleye?" he added doubtfully.

"I would like the Longhorn better," she said nodding. "Buying this," she continued as she picked up the ring with the stone, "will just add to Charlie's troubles," she finished as she forced herself to think about Charlie and his stupid, harmless dragons. Then she turned to Draco. "And besides, they're supposed to be our wedding rings and wedding rings are just simple gold bands, right?"

Draco shrugged and turned to Daniel. "It's Virginia's final say," he said.

"Me?" she croaked.

"Of course," Draco replied as if she was insane. "That's what you women commonly do, right?" he added as he impatiently looked at his pocketwatch. "So what will it be?"

Ginny looked at longingly at the Snidget rings. Although she would have liked it very much to choose them, the thought of this kind of 'marriage' prevented her to do so. She would have to return the ring after the divorce eventually. She took a deep breath. "The Longhorn gold bands, please," she said finally.

Draco nodded. "As the lady wishes," he said to Daniel.

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy," said Daniel as he carefully placed the rings in their respective boxes. After wrapping them in little parcels, he handed the rings to Draco, who in turn pocketed them and nodded once at his direction.

"It was nice doing business with you," said Draco airily before turning away from him.

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy," replied Daniel cordially. "Until next time."

"Thank you, Mr. Lucas," Ginny quipped cheerfully. 

"It was nothing Madam," he said. Ginny smiled at him one last time before turning around and walking towards the exit. 

Once outside, Ginny turned to Draco with disapproval. "I resent that," she said suddenly.

Draco stopped in his tracks and turned to him with disbelief. "I beg your pardon but I believe I should be the one saying that," he said coldly.

She frowned stopping as well, "Whatever for?" asked Ginny. 

Draco just looked at her as his reply. After a moment, he shook his head and continued walking briskly. Ginny immediately took big, quick steps. "Excuse me, but you just said 'That's what you women commonly do!'"

"So?" said Draco without bothering to stop. 

"And I resent that!" 

At that, Draco finally stopped. "Isn't it true?" he said. "That's what you women commonly do. That's where you're good at and—"

"I completely disagree with that," Ginny fiercely declared. "I simply won't take that! You think that I— we—"

"That has been the sorry course of nature, Virginia," he said with exasperation. "Men do the earning while women do the spending. I just don't see the big deal about this!" Draco exclaimed.

"Big deal!" Ginny exclaimed back as she threw her hands in the air. "Big deal! Of course it's a big deal to me! You think that I can't— that all I think of--"

"Just spare me the feminist bullshit crap, Virginia," said Draco tiredly. "Look, we're arguing and this is stupid and I—"

"No," she said firmly. "You will think differently of me, Malfoy, because that's who I am. You will not go on and think that I'm like your 'other' women who can't think of anything but money, of what you can give them and getting their hands inside your pants! I am not like them! I am not like that! I am more than that!"

He stopped in surprise and looked at her quite oddly upon hearing her words. For the first time in his life, he couldn't say anything sarcastic or nasty— no woman, in his whole life— he stared at her, his eyes wide with disbelief, partly with awe. "Well if you insist, then so be it," was all he could think of saying, his voice testy. Then he started walking. "You should consider changing your 'common' attitude, Virginia. You'll be a Malfoy soon," he said after a moment, referring to the incident back at the jewelry shop.

Getting his meaning, Ginny frowned at him. "Who do you think you are?" she asked spitefully.

Draco turned to her. "I'm Draco Edward Malfoy."

"So?"

"Malfoys don't go around being all chummy with-- strangers," 

"No, you're too kind," said Ginny sardonically. "Why don't you just say: 'Malfoys don't go around being all chummy with COMMON people?' Surely, that one's more appropriate, don't you think? It suits you," she added. Then she smiled cynically. "May I remind you that you're going to marry a 'common' lady, Malfoy?" 

"I will not stand here and take all this," he finally declared, walking away from her.

"What's the matter, Malfoy?" said Ginny nastily, following him. "Truth hurts?"

At that, Draco finally stopped and turned to her once again, his face showing cold fury. "You don't understand anything, Virginia," he said, his voice soft and dangerous. "People aren't bothered by that attitude. Didn't you notice that back there, what bothered Daniel was your overly friendly attitude and not mine? People know and accept the fact that the Malfoys act like that. Why? Because people accept the fact that we're different from them. We are expected to act that way. That attitude has maintained the respect the Malfoy name commands and I have no intention of damaging that during my duration as the future head of the Malfoy clan. If you're going to be a Malfoy, even for a short period of time, you'd better check your disposition."

Ginny smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. "You're wrong," she said, raising her chin defiantly. "Mr. Lucas wasn't bothered. It was surprise and awe that I saw in his face. He was surprised and awed to see that a would-be-Malfoy was capable of being nice and friendly, so much unlike you or your family. And you might want to think twice when it comes to that 'respect' thing, you know. Because that kind of attitude does not command respect it commands fear. For all you know, those people like Mr. Lucas really hate you or your whole blood line," she answered back. Then she shook her head and looked at him as if he was hopeless. "Now I completely understand why you don't have any friends, Malfoy. You think you're somebody else, someone more special, someone more superior. Well, I have some shocking news for you. You're no different from everybody else. And even if you were, then I wouldn't call it being special. You're different because nobody could be as cruel or as nasty or as cold-hearted as you, " she said, her voice dripping with poison. "And if you do have friends, it's no wonder why you can't keep them at all."

With her last statement, Draco just stood there silently, unable to say anything. Instead, he eyed her with narrowed and angered eyes. Surprisingly, it was the truth. He didn't have any friends. Crabbe and Goyle, the Zabinis, Pansy Parkinson—they weren't friends—he didn't even know what they were. And with the awful truth came the pain-- her words stung him and his pride, much to his surprise. And the way she was looking at him— as if she was feeling sorry for him, pitying him. He mentally swore. He never felt so angry in all his life!

Ginny looked at him astounded, at a loss for words, baffled at the harmful words that came out of her lips. After that short, hurtful speech she gave him she knew she had said too much. It horrified her to think that she could be as offensive and as horrid as-- She bit her lip. "Draco, I— I'm sor—"

"I have other business to attend to," he said abruptly, not letting her finish. "It'll take me a while so just go on ahead of me to the manor to give yourself ample time to prepare." And with that, Draco immediately turned around and walked away from her.

Ginny stood there numbly as she looked after his disappearing figure dolefully. She was feeling so miserable and wretched that she hadn't noticed where Draco had gone.

Knockturn Alley.

==========

_"You think you're somebody else, someone more special! Nobody could be as cruel or nasty or as cold-hearted as you"_

So that was what she thought of him. Draco let out a curse as he made his way silently in the manor's second floor hall, his booted feet making padding noises against the carpeted floor, his black robes billowing behind him. So what about it? He thought spitefully. He was Draco Malfoy and it wasn't new, right? People often thought about him that way. But then again, why did he feel so—bothered? Why had it troubled him to learn what she thought about him? Then it struck him. It bothered him because Virginia had done something nobody had done before. She'd told him everything that she had thought about him to his face. She practically threw those words at him with a straight face. The exchange of insults with her brother or Granger or Potter was no match for what she had done. She had told him the truth and aimed for his pride. And it… hurt.

He stopped upon reaching the door to Virginia's room, his hands tightening against the velvet box he was holding. He couldn't help but let the stinging words ring inside his head over and over again, drowning the festive noises just below him and at that moment, he reluctantly reflected about what he was before. He remembered clearly, strutting around Hogwarts like he owned it, making Potter's life miserable due to an unexplained insecurity, calling Granger a 'Mudblood' without batting an eyelash, spitting Weasley's financial deficiency at his face with unhidden gaiety, and Virginia… Virginia…

__

"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!"

"I don't think Potter liked your Valentine much!"

He blinked. So he was terrible. So He was cruel. Draco shook his head. But they didn't know him. They didn't know anything about him, so why should he care about what they thought? She thought him cold-hearted? Then good riddance to her! He didn't care! If that was what she thought about him then that was what she was going to get. And with that assumption, he let out a soft snort and opened the door before him only to hear a noisy clutter and a soft gasp of surprise inside.

"Don't you know how to knock?" said Ginny finally as she momentarily stood up to retrieve the brush from the floor. Then sitting down once again before her vanity mirror, she looked at his reflection, her expression changing from annoyance to that of being uncertain.

Draco looked back at her, not saying anything. He let his eyes roam to her straight her red hair, neatly parted at the side with a single sapphire-studded clip, the red coiling tips resting gently on her shoulders, on her back and on her neck. He then let his gaze wander to her face and was quite pleased to see that she hadn't used any make-up at all to hide the row of freckles across her nose, then to her lips, glossy and slightly rouged, shouting out unspoken delights. Reluctantly and as if having a mind of its own, his eyes than went to the champagne-colored gown on her, accentuating the crown of red on her head. He swallowed hard upon noting the fitted bodice of the dress against her waist, its flowing, silken layers gently emphasizing the delicate curves of her body. He looked at her reflection only to notice the modest cut of her off-the-shoulder gown, granting him a glimpse of her creamy chest.

__

"Beautiful," thought Draco, all the bitterness he had felt a while ago disappearing. He then made his way towards her, his eyes not leaving her face in the mirror. 

Ginny, upon feeling his scrutiny, quickly cast her eyes down. She suddenly found her brush interesting as she stared at it, biting her lower lip. What did Draco think of her? About her looks? Her outfit? Did he think her beautiful? Then she frowned. Why should she care anyway? She then looked up when she felt Draco's presence standing beside her. She was about to speak up when a soft mew suddenly echoed inside her borrowed chamber.

"What was that?" Draco asked. He looked down only to see a white cat slowly emerging from under the bed. He turned to her and frowned. "Virginia?"

"He's my new cat," answered Ginny. 

"I know," said Draco impatiently as the cat started stroking itself against his pant leg, purring with content. Draco gritted his teeth with irritation as he took a step away. "Really now, do you have to—"

"Oh, he likes you," said Ginny. 

"How can you even be sure that it's a he?" Draco asked staring at the cat's snow-white fur then to its unusual blue, limpid eyes. _"What an unusual cat,_" mused Draco.

"Oh I just know," said Ginny as the cat finally decided to tear itself away from Draco to climb and rest on top of her bed. "I just bought her a while ago, when you left me," she added. Draco's face darkened. She sighed.

"Draco," she began, looking back at his reflection. An unexpected sigh escaped her lips upon noting how good he looked. He was wearing his formal family robes, black in color (as usual) with silver linings on the side. Underneath his robe was his white buttoned-up shirt, which was neatly tucked inside his black trousers. Ginny never did get the chance to look at his shoes but she was so sure that they had cost over a thousand galleons each. He had his left hand inside his trouser pocket and he was standing there with smooth, casual arrogance and he looked so, so— rich, almost intimidating. Ginny took a deep breath, "about—about what happened earlier. I—"

"Virginia," Draco suddenly called, interrupting her, his left hand leaving his pocket. He then held the velvet box up for her and deftly flipped the top lid open to reveal a gold chain with a serpent pendant dangling from it, which finally shutting her up. He then gently brushed her hair aside. "Grandfather will be expecting to see this," he said as he firmly locked the chain into place.

Ginny's fingers immediately flew up to her chest upon feeling the cold metal of the flat-surfaced pendant against her skin. She looked at the pendant's reflection only to notice the pair of ruby-red eyes of the serpent staring back at her. "It's beautiful," she whispered, looking at the unusual sparkle of the serpent's eyes, disregarding the fact that it was a snake and not some tear-shaped diamond dangling from her neck. 

"Mother gave it to me to give to you," said Draco as he stared at their reflections in the vanity mirror. "It was traditionally given to all the Malfoy women before their wedding day. That is the reason why I didn't give you an engagement ring."

Ginny didn't say anything as she lightly fingered the necklace against her chest. Surprisingly, there was something about the necklace that made her feel like it belonged to her, like it was really a part of her. It was a weird and unexplainable feeling but at that moment, she felt as if she would just go mad if Draco should decide to take the necklace back. 

Draco noted the wonder and admiration written on Ginny's face. _"Well, who wouldn't," _he thought. _"That's an antique necklace and an expensive one too, with the eyes made with the Snidget's._ He then let out a nasty chuckle, the bitter feelings surging up again full force. "Of course, after our divorce, you do understand that you have to return it," he couldn't resist saying.

At that, Ginny looked at his reflection darkly. Then after a moment she smiled sweetly. "Of course," she said delicately. "Anyway, I can AFFORD lots of this after our divorce, right?" And with that, she stood up and made her way towards the door, her dress swishing provocatively behind her. She was, no doubt, on her way to the ballroom with or without him.

Draco gritted his teeth as he went after her. He just couldn't believe it! She had had the last word! Again! He swore as he hastily went down the grand staircase, catching up with her and feeling quite stupid. Ginny, upon feeling him beside her, stopped. "Please," she said giving him a twisted smile, "do find me irresistible just for tonight."

"I should be the one asking you that," said Draco sarcastically as he offered his arm. When Ginny took it, he turned to her. "Shall we?" he asked flatly.

"Do I have any choice?" she replied acidly.

Accepting her answer, Draco nodded and led her towards the ballroom.

==========

"Professor Dumbledore!" Vladimir boomed merrily as an aged wizard popped up from the ballroom's huge doors. Dumbledore let out a smile upon seeing Vlad zigzagging his way towards him. "It's so good you made it!" Vlad added loudly against the crowd of people around him and the loud orchestra behind him.

"Vladimir Malfoy II!" Dumbledore said as Vladimir shook his hand so vigorously that his body nearly shook from the force. He let out a chuckle. "Still the stalwart boy I remember," he added.

"And you're still breathing," said Vladimir good-naturedly. "How do you do it, old man?"

Dumbledore laughed. "By being always happy, Vladimir. By being always happy," he replied. He then looked past Vladimir. "I see that Headmistress McGonagall's already here," he added as he saw the tall and straight form of the strict looking woman in one corner, champagne in hand and conversing pleasantly with a group of new Hogwarts teachers. "You have invited almost everybody, I suppose?" he asked surveying the huge crowd of wizards and witches inside the ballroom. He smiled when he met Cornelius Fudge's eyes.

"Of course!" Vladimir exclaimed. "It's my grandson's engagement party," he added as he took two glasses of champagne from a passing tray. 

"Ah yes," Dumbledore answered as he took the glass his old student offered him. "And where's the young Draco and his fiancé may I ask?" he added looking around.

"Probably he went upstairs to get Virginia," replied Vladimir. He then paused and took a sip of his champagne. He was about to open his mouth when the loud voice of his butler rang inside the crowded ballroom.

"Draco Malfoy and Virginia Weasley!"

"Now smile," hissed Draco as he prepared to enter the room.

"I AM smiling," hissed Ginny back as she followed Draco. As all eyes turned to them, Ginny let out a smile. 

"Now prepare for the worse," whispered Draco against her ear. He smiled charmingly as people began approaching them to express their congratulations.

"What do you mean?" Ginny whispered back while her eyes busily scanned her surroundings. Indeed, Vladimir really did put up a lot just for this! Ginny's eyes widened with wonder and delight upon seeing little blue and white colored cool flames magically dancing around, giving the ballroom an enchanted and elegant ambiance. There were a bunch of bewitched trays floating everywhere, serving champagne and little finger foods. On one corner stood the orchestra and on the other corner the biggest refreshment table Ginny had ever seen. It seemed it had all of Hogsmeade on it, with every food entrée arranged beautifully, so beautifully that it looked so appetizing. She then tore her eyes away from the table only to look at the elegantly dressed crowd before her, dancing and laughing. _"Everybody seems to be… rich," _thought Ginny upon seeing the row of mouthwatering silks and satins before her.

"You'll see," was all he said upon seeing his grandfather who had excused himself from Dumbledore and was making his way towards them. Ginny smiled in his direction.

"Ah, Virginia," he began as he took her hand and lightly kissed it. "I see you already have the necklace?" he asked, finally letting go. It was clear that he was pleased to see the necklace around her neck.

"I belong to Draco now," she said chuckling. 

Vladimir laughed. "I see," he said. Then he turned to Draco. "Your guests are waiting, boy," he said.

Draco nodded. "Yes, grandfather," he replied and whisked Virginia away with him.

As it turned out, Draco was right. It was the worst night of Virginia's life. Other than the fact that this was her 'engagement-to-Draco' party, Draco dragged her around the huge ballroom, introducing her to everybody there till she felt dizzy and tired. It seemed that Vladimir Malfoy had invited all his Hogwarts friends and it really surprised her to see that Draco knew almost each and everyone of them. This isn't fun anymore. She thought. Her feet were already aching and her mouth was feeling sore from all the smiling—

"Virginia, I want you to meet the Thornhills. Angelo's grandmother was an exchange student from Durmstrang. She was my Grandfather's potion's partner back at Hogwarts, " said Draco pleasantly as he nodded at the direction of a tall brown-haired man and woman whom were both smiling. Ginny forced out a smile at the 34th couple before her.

"How do you do?" she asked politely. 

"How did you do it?" Angelo Thornhill asked chuckling. Ginny frowned at him in confusion. "I can't believe Draco dragged me from Germany just to witness this!"

"I beg your pardon?" she asked. 

Draco laughed. "Now, now Angelo," he started. "Don't start with my fiancé," he warned.

"You're one bloody amazing woman, I see," Angelo said ignoring Draco. "To be able to trap this man into submission requires great skill and charm, mind you."

"Then perhaps I have both of them, don't you think?" Ginny replied pleasantly, causing Angelo to laugh louder.

"You beware, my good man," said the brown-haired man to Draco who was wearing his usual charming smile. "That kind of woman surely knows what she wants," he added meaningfully.

Draco chuckled. "I know, and she wants me," he said as he put his arms around her bare shoulders for effect. Instantly, Ginny felt little electric bolts sparking inside her. "I'm sure with a woman as beautiful as Virginia, I wouldn't dream of looking at anybody else," he quipped.

At that kind of answer, Angelo's eyes widened. "You really are bleedin' good!" he exclaimed at Virginia. "Draco Malfoy? Saying that? I must be dreaming! What did you feed him?"

"Better believe it, man!" Draco said. Then looking past him, he smiled apologetically "If you'll excuse me, I think I saw my fiancé's family and my mother over there?" he said looking at the eight five redheads and one blonde head near the orchestra. 

"Of course," said Angelo with a nod. "It was nice to meet you, Virginia," he added.

"Likewise," said Ginny before Draco swept her away towards her family. Upon reaching the orchestra, something small and brown suddenly broke into a run.

"Aunt Wheezy!" Sylvia squealed as she slammed herself against Ginny's dress. Ginny let out a chuckle and picked the little girl up.

"Hi Sylvia," she cooed. Then she looked at her parents. "Mum, Dad," she said politely. For a second she turned her eyes to Percy, together with his wife Jane, who was conversing pleasantly with Narcissa while Bill and Charlie were busy arguing about dragons and goblins. _"It seems that Bill and Charlie didn't bring their families with them,"_ she surmised. Then she frowned, _"But where are Ron and Hermione?"_

"Hi honey," Molly said as she lightly gave her a kiss on the cheek. Then turning to Draco, she let out a friendly smile while Arthur Weasley offered his hand to him.

"Good evening," Draco greeted as he shook it firmly. 

Arthur nodded. "Nice to see you again," he said. He then turned to Ginny and smiled. "You look beautiful honey."

"Thank you," Ginny beamed. She then turned to Draco only to see him greeting his mother and shaking hands with her brothers and offering them champagne. Then turning back to her mother, she frowned. "Where's Hermione?" she asked.

"Oh, Hermione's over there," Molly answered gesturing towards the group of people milling just beside the refreshment table. Ginny smiled with satisfaction and excitement upon realizing that they were her Hogwarts friends. "Ron's with her too," her mother added. Then seeing her excited smile, Molly chuckled. "Go ahead, honey," she said.

Ginny nodded, gave her Sylvia and, without thinking about what Draco might say, went towards the bunch of Gryffindor wizards and witches laughing and conversing merrily. Her mood surprisingly lifted upon seeing the familiar faces before her. "Hi guys!" she exclaimed brightly upon reaching them. "Enjoying yourselves?"

"Ginny!" Everybody exclaimed. Ginny looked at the faces before her and grinned. There were Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Neville Longbottom, Colin Creevey, Seamus Finnigan, her twin brothers, Lee Jordan, Dean Thomas, Ron and Hermione and several other Gryffindors.

"You look wonderful!" Hermione finally said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Ginny chuckled and took a glass of champagne. 

"Thanks," she said. 

"You look beautiful, Gin," said Fred as he quickly made his way towards her.

"Yeah, right," added George as they took her by her shoulders and began shaking her playfully.

"Fred! George!" Ginny exclaimed with displeasure. "Stop it!"

"Nice to see you, Ginny!" Lee said with a laugh as Fred and George finally let go of her.

"Love to chat, but can't," Fred quickly said pulling George with him. "But you do look nice, Gin! Honest!" he called out while walking away from her.

"Congratulations!" Lee and George called as they followed Fred outside the ballroom.

"Why did they leave?" Ginny asked quite soberly.

Ron snorted. "Probably went off to do some prank or something," he replied, his voice hopeful. At that, he earned a disapproving look from Hermione. 

"Ginny! Long time no see!" Parvati exclaimed merrily as she made her way towards her. "How are you?"

"Oh I'm fine," replied Ginny.

"Oh my, that's a very beautiful gown you've got there!" Lavender gushed as she lightly touched the soft material of her dress.

Ginny chuckled. "Still the same, Lavender," she replied. "So, are you going out with someone?"

At that, Neville's face turned a deep shade of red while Lavender blushed pink. Ron and the rest of the Gryffindors gasped with surprise. 

"Really?" Hermione asked Lavender with wide brown eyes. "Neville?"

"Why haven't I heard about it?" Parvati asked, not pleased. She turned to Lavender, "Are you my bestfriend or what? I told you about when we, I and Colin, started going out."

"Really now, Parvati," said Ellen, another younger Gryffindor, "don't you find Colin's one-year age difference rather disturbing?"

"Well, age doesn't matter, am I right, Ellen?" Colin asked as he put his arms purposely around Parvati's shoulders. 

The men, in turn, hooted and laughed. "Go, Neville!" Dean exclaimed clapping him on the back.

"Now that's something!" Ron said laughing.

"Wow!" Neville exclaimed suddenly. " I remember I forgot something inside the uh— um---," He then quickly made his way towards the doors without finishing. 

"Oh poor Neville," Ginny said, looking after his disappearing figure. Then turning to the men, she frowned slightly. "That was not nice," she said while taking another glass of champagne.

"Oh just let him be," Ron said, shaking his head. "He'll come around."

"I- I just remembered," Lavender suddenly piped up. "I need to do something." Then without bothering to explain further, she quickly left the group and made her way towards the door.

"Ooh, what was that all about?" Colin asked smiling impishly. Parvati slapped him lightly on the arm as a warning.

"I don't know guys," said Hermione, "but I have a daughter to take care of," she added, looking at Sylvia who was currently trying to reach something from the refreshment table. "If you'll excuse me?" she said and with that, she turned around and walked away from them.

Ginny then looked at the remaining people before her. She was about to excuse herself and return to Draco when suddenly Seamus flashed a smile at her. 

"Ginny Weasley," he said as he walked towards her. Ginny smiled as Seamus gave her a hug. 

"Seamus," she said as he finally let go and stared at him. She was so busy looking at his smile that she hadn't noticed that Ron, Dean and the rest drifted off to meet other people while Colin asked Parvati for a dance, finally leaving her alone with him. _"I can't believe I broke up with this guy,"_ she thought absorbing his handsome smile. She held his arm. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he replied. "And you?"

"I'm fine too," said Ginny, smiling. "So," she began as she looked at him expectantly.

"Malfoy's grandfather seemed to be friendly," Seamus said, looking towards Vladimir's direction. Ginny looked too only to see Draco's grandfather politely asking McGonagall for a dance. She chuckled and turned to Seamus once again.

"So it seems," she said. "Quite a nice fellow, if you ask me. I heard that he used to go to Hogwarts too."

"Different from Malfoy?"

At that, Ginny's pleasant feelings were suddenly floored. She looked down soberly. Upon seeing her miserable reaction, Seamus sighed. "Look, Gin," he started apologetically. "I'm sorry but to tell you honestly, everybody was quite shocked when they received your invitation, saying about your sudden engagement to— to Malfoy! The shock increased even more when they received a warm welcome from Vladimir, quite unexpected, you see."

"So— what are you trying to get at?" Ginny asked.

"We are happy for you, we truly are! But—"

"But what?"

Seamus frowned as he weighed his answer. "Surely, you can't blame us—but, Malfoy?" he asked shaking his head with disbelief.

Ginny sighed. "Oh don't worry, I'm used to it," she said bleakly.

Seamus let out a chuckle as he turned towards the dance floor. "It has been years hasn't it?" he asked. He then chuckled again upon seeing Colin bowing and apologizing and Parvati hopping around with one foot. It was beyond doubt that Colin had stepped on her accidentally. He then turned back to Ginny. "Until now I couldn't stop wondering what might have happened if we hadn't broken up."

"Seamus I—"

"No, it's fine," He interrupted softly. "Actually I was quite glad when I heard that Harry asked you out after we broke up. I know that he's the only who can make you happy."

"Seamus, you made me happy too," said Ginny softly. 

"I did?" he asked. When Ginny nodded, he let out a soft chuckle. "I don't know," he began shaking his head. "This bothers me, you know. I would've accepted the fact of this, you're going to marry Harry, but this—" He stopped and took a deep breath.

"You think it's insulting?" Ginny asked, looking at him straight in the eye.

"To tell you honestly, yes," said Seamus, throwing up his hands. "Look, Ginny, I loved you and when Harry asked you out, I accepted the fact that he was a worthy opponent or something like that. I mean, besides being a Gryffindor, Harry's the boy who lived, captain of the Quidditch team, Puddlemere United's seeker— and I couldn't really blame you for choosing him over me, but now, with Malfoy—" He paused and turned to Ginny. "What does Malfoy have? Compared to Harry or me or—"

__

"Oh he has 262 million galleons," thought Ginny. "Look Seamus," she said. "I—I—chose Draco because I— I love him, all right?" she forced out. "I know that he's an insensitive bastard most of the time and he's in Slytherin and he cheated at Quidditch but really, deep inside, he's— he's a good man."

With that, Seamus finally smiled. "So you do love him."

"Yes," said Ginny, feeling terribly sicker by the minute.

"Well, it seems like I can't do anything about it," said Seamus with resignation.

"Well, I'll tell you what," said Ginny while taking his empty glass from him and placing it, together with hers, on top of a passing tray. "Have this dance with me and I'll see about reconsideration," she continued chuckling as the orchestra began to play another waltz.

At that, Seamus laughed. "Prat," he said fondly but nevertheless he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. 

==========

__

"Draco Malfoy."

Draco stopped upon hearing the sultry voice inside his head. He turned around only to see a woman as tall as him standing just near the veranda door, just five meters away from him. His eyes suddenly widened upon seeing the familiar black, shiny hair, and the pair of violet eyes boring through him. He then turned his attentions back to Bill and Charlie who were now arguing something about Muggle technology. 

"Excuse me, gentlemen," he said apologetically at the two older Weasley's before him. "But I must see to someone."

"Of course," Bill said quickly.

"Don't let us keep you," added Charlie. At that, Draco bowed his head slightly and made his way towards the awaiting woman. Upon reaching her, he raised his eyebrows.

"Rebecca Fairfax," he said, lifting her hand and softly planting a kiss on it. 

The woman smiled. "How did you know?" she asked.

"I just know," replied Draco. "There could only be one Fairfax woman now."

"How can you be sure? This is the wizarding world after all. Anything is possible," she said, her voice soft. "Maybe I'm her. We're completely identical, you know."

Draco looked at her and smiled charmingly. "Not quite," he replied as his other hand flew up only to brush her black mane away from her neck. The woman closed her eyes momentarily as she felt the quick but gentle touch. "Your twin doesn't have that," he finally said, looking at the brown birthmark on her neck, a little below her right ear. 

"You have sharp eyes, I see," said Rebecca. "For you to see it from a distance."

"Actually, I didn't see it," said Draco, smirking. "I just knew it was you." At that, Rebecca laughed softly, accepting the answer. 

"Nice to see you again, Draco Malfoy," she said as Draco finally let go. She then turned towards the packed dance floor. "So, she's the one?" she asked, looking in Ginny's direction.

Draco looked as well only to see Ginny laughing and twirling against Seamus Finnigan's arms. "Yes," he finally replied. "How did you know, may I ask?"

Rebecca smirked. "The necklace," she answered, turning back to him. "So how many years has it been?" she asked softly.

Draco took a sharp intake of breath. "Fourteen," he replied.

"So it seems," Rebecca replied. Then upon noticing Draco's tightening expression, her face softened. "You very well know that Bianca would like me to be here, to just check on you," she added.

"I know."

And with that, Rebecca smiled. "Well, it's seems like I'll see you around, Draco," she said. She looked at Ginny then back to him. "You know, Bianca will be very upset if she sees this, if she sees you."

Draco nodded. "I know," he said again, his eyes not leaving Ginny. "But it's too late for me," he added, finally turning back to her.

"Don't be too sure," was all Rebecca said before taking her wand out and disapparating before him. Before Draco could ask what she had meant, she was gone. He swore softly as unwanted memories began crashing at him once again. He closed his eyes momentarily, his fingers going up to his temples. _"Bianca,"_ the name played over and over again inside his head. _"What did Rebecca mean by it?"_ Suddenly, he didn't feel good. He had a sudden urge to be alone.He was about to make his way to the veranda to get some fresh air when a familiar scent reached him. He turned around only to feel the soft lips of Blaise Zabini immediately landing on top of his. His eyes widened as he instinctively pulled away.

"Blaise!" Draco cried with displeasure. "Are you out of your mind?" he asked as his eyes frantically went to his grandfather. He then breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing his grandfather talking to Snape, too preoccupied to even pay him much attention. 

"I'm hurt you know," said Blaise pouting up at him. "Have your feelings changed?"

As his reply, Draco just stared at her. He willed his mouth to lie, to say no just like before but surprisingly, he couldn't do it. He couldn't even lie. "What are you doing here?" he asked instead.

"I received your invitation, Draco. Seems like I'm the only Slytherin in here, other than you," answered Blaise, fanning an envelope before her and looking around. "Thought I'd come to see my rival personally," she supplied delicately. "I also think your grandfather's being deliberately annoying too."

"Well, it was good to see you," said Draco as he prepared to leave, but Blaise placed a hand on top of his arm, stopping him. 

"What's eating you, Draco dear? Not happy to see me?" she asked softly. Draco frowned mentally upon seeing Blaise's well-manicured hand resting on top of his arm. "Seems like you need—" she paused and let her hand travel inside Draco's robes. His eyes widened slightly upon feeling her fingers lightly stroking his chest, unmindful of the thick material of his shirt. His eyes narrowed dangerously, much to Blaise's pleasure, "some—release," she finally finished, looking at him meaningfully.

Draco's eyes momentarily scanned her. As usual, Blaise looked really stunning. She was wearing a red gown, with just a tight red corset for a bodice. The corset had a low neckline, giving him a full view of her generous bosom, which gently rose up and down with her every breath. He then smiled charmingly. "Blaise," he began, "not now." He then looked away from her.

Blaise's smile turned to a scowl. She dropped her hand and turned towards Ginny with spite. "It's her, isn't it?" she asked shrilly.

Draco let out a sigh. Surprisingly, he felt tired. "No, it's not her," he replied.

"Then what?" she demanded. "This is just all about the contract, right? You'll get a divorce soon?"

"Yes."

Blaise momentarily looked at him. Upon seeing the emotionless statement on his face, she gave a satisfied smile. "Good," she said. Then turning to Ginny's direction once again, she gave a disgusted snort. "Really, Draco honey. Could you be more insulting?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked. He looked up only to see his grandfather looking at him meaningfully. Upon meeting his eyes, he then nodded.

"I mean, she's too plain! I expected someone, you know, prettier! More like someone of OUR standards," said Blaise. "Just look at her! No taste, no style, no conversation at all!" She then laughed saucily and turned to him once again. "Well, what did you expect from a Weasley, right? I mean, really, you could've gotten someone more— more— beautiful than that— that—girl! Pardon for the word but really you can hardly call her a woman! From the looks of it, that girl's probably hasn't gotten out of the box yet, if you know what I mean."

"Then it is quite fortunate that I have to marry her and not you," said Draco without thinking. There was a note of irritation in his voice. It was clear that he was getting impatient with Blaise's nonsensical chatter. Then turning to her, he smiled apologetically. "If you'll excuse me, I believe my grandfather would like to have a word with me." And without waiting for her answer, Draco quickly turned around and made his way towards the ballrooms exit, leaving Blaise alone looking after him with furious disbelief.

==========

"So where would you have the wedding?" Parvati asked.

"At Draco's manor," said Ginny, looking at Draco and Blaise. She frowned slightly. Just then, Parvati let out a little cry of surprise. Ginny tore her eyes away from the two and turned to her.

"What was that?" she asked looking at Parvati's near-to-fainting reaction. "What's the matter?"

"H—Ha—" Parvati began.

"Parvati, please?" Ginny said with exasperation.

"Ha—Harry's— Harry's here, Ginny," she finally said. It was without a doubt that everybody knew of her and Harry's 'thing.' "I didn't—I wasn't expecting—"

At the mention of Harry's name, Ginny quickly whirled around only to see him walking towards Ron. Her eyes widened as she felt her heart dropping to her stomach. Her eyes followed him as he stopped to talk to Ron and Hermione, his usual grinning face set in a grave expression. He looked so— so tired! She had dreaded this night. She finally tore her eyes away from him and looked frantically around for Draco. Upon seeing him nowhere, she mentally swore. Oh, where was the git when you needed him? Suddenly, Harry looked up. Their eyes met.

"I think--," said Parvati as she began upon feeling the tension in the air. She slowly backed away from her upon noting Harry making his way towards them, "that surely—you'd like it very much to be left alone?" And with that, she turned around and quickly walked away from her.

"Hello, Ginny," said Harry.

Ginny turned to him uncertainly. She bit her lip and stared at him, her eyes roaming from his usual messy hair then to the lightning scar on his forehead. She reluctantly looked at his deep green eyes behind his glasses and found herself lost for words. Harry, upon noting her uneasiness, cleared his throat.

"Can I have a word with you privately?" he asked softly.

At that, Ginny nodded. "Of course," she answered, thinking that Harry at least deserved some explanation. "Would—would you like to go to the veranda?"

Harry nodded and with that, Ginny turned around and led the way towards the veranda's doors. Once outside, away from the crowded ballroom, Ginny took a deep breath and looked up into the starless sky. Harry then placed himself beside her, resting his hands against the stone balustrade. He looked at her face and sighed.

"I saw you earlier, down at Diagon Alley," said Harry finally. "You were just outside _Goldberg's Jewelry_."

Ginny just looked at him as her answer. Harry then raked his fingers through his hair and let out another sigh.

"It's true then?" he said. 

"About what?" Ginny asked frowning up at him. Harry, in turn, let his eyes roam from her face to her chest only to see the gold necklace, the serpent staring back at him warily as though it was alive. His eyes went back to her face.

"When I first received your letter, I actually had a hard time believing it. No, I didn't really believe it. I thought that it was just a prank or something, you know, from Fred or George," said Harry instead. He turned to her. "I came here just to—to—see with my own eyes—"

"Harry, I'm so sorry."

"Why, Ginny?"

Ginny cast her eyes down as her answer. When she didn't say anything, Harry lifted her face up at him. He stared into her eyes, till she felt herself melting. But there was something inside that told her this was wrong— this was—

"I love you, Gin," he said as he slowly brought his face down to hers.

Ginny closed her eyes as she let Harry kiss her, desperately wanting to know if she was doing the right thing, if she still had the same feelings for Harry, if she still loathed Draco. She waited for the familiar but delicious burning sensation but to her surprise and confusion, nothing came. She then let her hands travel on his back, deepening the kiss even more, trying to get her feelings for Harry back again. When she felt his hands wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer, a feeling of panic rose within her. And before she knew it, she immediately pulled away.

"H- Harry I can't—"

"You don't love Draco, Ginny. I know it," said Harry firmly. "I can feel it. I can feel something is terribly wrong here."

Ginny stared at him. She longed to tell him about everything. Everything! About the deal, the wedding… just everything! But—_"Would he understand?"_ her mind asked. Other than that, there was an unexplainable feeling deep in the pit of her stomach. She didn't know how to comprehend but being here with Harry, kissing him and telling him she didn't love Draco was really out of the question. She couldn't lie but she couldn't tell him no either. But before she could utter another word, Harry sealed her mouth with his again. Then remembering Draco, Ginny immediately pushed him away, much to her confusion. _"Why? Why does this feel so wrong? So very, very wrong?"_

"Ginny?" Harry cried with impatience. "What's this? Don't tell me—"

"I'm getting married Harry," she said, her voice testy. 

At that, Harry's face hardened. Whether due to shock or pain she didn't know. She was about to say how sorry she was when Harry suddenly backed away from her.

"We'll see about that," was all he said and quickly made his way inside the ballroom. "I'll have you out of that spell in no time."

"Harry!" Ginny called as she hastily went after him. "Harry! Where are you going? What do you mean?"

=========

Draco let out a series of curses as he made his way towards the ballroom, his anger blinding him. He just had a talk with his grandfather and right now, he felt like yelling and hitting someone or something! Just anything to get rid of this— this feeling!

"Draco, what's the matter?"

Draco stopped only to see Blaise before him. He looked around first, surprised to see himself inside the ballroom. Then turning to Blaise, he swore. Blaise gasped delicately upon hearing the perfectly pronounced vile and cutting words flowing out from his lips.

"Oh my!" Blaise said when Draco was finished. She then took a glass of champagne from a tray and handed it to him. "Here, looks like you need this."

Draco, without a word, accepted the glass and drank the contents with one gulp. Blaise let out a smile as she took the empty glass from him and handed him another one. "Now, tell me what's wrong?" she cooed sweetly.

Draco drank first before turning to her. "My grandfather gave Virginia half of the fortune," he answered hoarsely. With that, Blaise's smiling face turned to an angry and surprised scowl.

"What!" she shrieked. "Draco, this—"

"I know!" Draco said, with cold fury. "Of course, I couldn't do anything. If I reacted negatively, he would know about this charade. And it could be worse." He shook his head and let out a bitter smile. "I just promised Virginia her 70 million galleons. I've just deposited a million to her Gringgots account and with my grandfather's sudden change of heart, she would be receiving a total of two hundred and one million galleons." 

At that, Blaise suddenly smiled. "Not necesarrily," she said.

Draco frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Oh you know what I mean, Draco," said Blaise giving him a sweet look. "What do you feel about having— perhaps, accidents?"

Draco's frown deepened while Blaise smiled at him, waiting for his answer. He was about to open his mouth, when someone suddenly called his name. He turned around only to see Harry Potter walking purposely towards him, with Ginny close behind him.

"I need to talk to you, Malfoy," said Harry gravely.

"Fine, spill it now, Potter," said Draco.

"Draco, Harry, please—"

"Oh, so its Draco now? When did you start calling him by his first name?" Harry asked sarcastically. Then turning to Draco, his face darkened. "Outside, Malfoy."

"All right," replied Draco.

Blaise smiled up at him. "Just think about what I said," she said. Then she turned to Ginny, her face nastily scrunching with disgusted amusement. She let her eyes travel rudely from her head to foot before taking out her wand and disapparating before Ginny could do anything as revolting and as rude as that. With Blaise finally gone, Draco turned to Harry.

"This way," he said as he made his way towards the ballroom's exit with Harry following close behind.

"Where are you going?" Ginny called out as she quickly tried her best to catch up with them. The two men didn't say anything until they reached the manor's front doors. 

"Now what, Potter?" Draco asked, not missing the dark look Harry gave him upon feeling Ginny making her way towards them. "Can't bear to be a sore loser?"

As his reply, Harry looked behind him, checking if any of the guests were around. When he saw only Ginny, he turned back to Draco and without a word, swung his arm up and hit him hard against the face. Draco staggered backwards. His lips bled.

"You asked for it, Potter!" Draco yelled upon tasting the salty and rusty tang of his blood. He then hit him back, his knuckles landing against Harry's face, knocking his glasses off. It fell to the floor and broke into two pieces. He would've used his wand and proposed a proper wizard's duel but due to his rage and Harry's successive blows, asking for a proper wizard's duel was already out of the question. Apparently, Draco had been wanting this ever since the talk he had had with Vladimir. Due to Draco's anger, it left little advantage for Harry.

"Stop it!" Ginny cried as the two started a brawl before her. "Stop it!"

"Take the curse off her, you bastard!" Harry yelled as he punched Draco in the stomach. Draco doubled over as pain seeped inside him. He then pushed Harry to the floor and before Harry could do anything, Draco kicked him hard on the ribs. Harry cried with pain. 

"There is no curse, Potter!" Draco yelled, wiping his lower lip. He stopped as Harry slowly stood up. "It was just—"

"Both of you will stop now!" Ginny yelled as she held her wand out. _"Petrificus Totalus!"_

Instantly, the two froze before her, both their bodies turning rigid. Then to Ginny's surprise, the two tumbled to the floor, both landing with a loud thump. If not for the current situation, Ginny would've found it funny.

"You must stop acting like children!" Ginny murmured as she made his way towards them. Then kneeling beside Harry, she swished her wand and whispered, _"Finite Incantatum."_ Instantly, Harry began to blink. 

"Ginny?"

"Go, Harry, please," said Ginny, picking his broken glasses from the floor. Harry sat up slowly and turned angrily towards Draco's frozen form beside him. _"Oculus Reparo,"_ she whispered, tapping her wand against his glasses.

"Goddamn it Ginny!" Harry suddenly yelled, standing up. "Why the hell did you do that!"

"But you're fighting!" Ginny yelled back, standing up as well.

"Hell, yes we were!" he answered back. "Before you interrupted! Do you think that I would just give in that easily? I wouldn't give you to that miserable, stupid, blasted, piece of Slytherin scum! I may be quiet or-- or-- mild-tempered, compared to Ron, that is, but when it comes to this, when it comes to you I--" Suddenly he stopped. He looked around and was surprised to find out that he was quite making a scene by flailing his arms wildly and pacing back and forth with furious steps. He looked down only to realize that Ginny slumped on the floor again, her face cast down miserably. His face softened. Looking at Ginny's sober expression, Harry immediately felt like hitting himself for being insensitive. "Ginny, I'm so, so sorry about this," he said, shaking his head, kneeling beside her. "I've ruined your—engagement party—I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to— Well, actually I did mean hitting Malfoy, but to ruin your--"

"Harry," interrupted Ginny softly but nevertheless miserably. "I know you didn't mean to." She handed him his newly repaired glasses and sighed. "Just go, all right? Please?"

"Just tell me one thing first," he said.

"What?"

"Was there a curse?"

Ginny shook her head. "Look, Harry, even if you pour down Veritaserum down my throat, I would still tell you: no, there was no spell or curse," she said with exasperation. "You really don't have to do this, you know."

"I'm angry and jealous and I admit I acted without thinking," said Harry, looking at Draco's frozen form with disgust. "But then-- "

"Harry, I'm getting married in a week," said Ginny. Surprisingly, she couldn't bear to hear something bad about Draco especially from Harry. She readily admitted that although she didn't love him, she didn't hate him either. But then, she couldn't also bring herself to hurt Harry like this. Although she already had with this engagement party, she didn't wish to prolong his pain by leading him on. _"Oh god! I'm so confused! Why is everything confusing?"_

Harry stared at her first, quite unsure of what to say. Then finally realizing that he couldn't do anything or say anything, he then nodded and put his glasses on. "I understand," he said as he took his wand out, his voice surprisingly cold. "Forgive me?"

"Yes, I forgive you," replied Ginny, feeling guiltier by the minute. Somehow, hearing his voice told her that she wouldn't see the last of him just yet. _"You don't know anything… Just go, please…"_

"Thank you," said Harry. He stared at her one last time. Then with a simple flick of his wand, he disappeared, leaving Ginny alone with Draco's frozen form. Then shaking her head, she positioned her wand before him and whispered, _"Finite Incantatum."_ Instantly, Draco's eyes began to move. Ginny smiled softly when his eyes landed on her face. 

For a moment, Draco smiled back, his eyes still blurry. What's an angel doing here? And why is she dressed in brownish yellow, not white? Just then, his eyes focused. "That was a stupid thing to do," said Draco sitting up, his robes wrinkled and ruined. He swore loudly upon noting Harry gone. 

"Oh really?" Ginny asked as she took her hankie. She lightly wiped Draco's bleeding lips. "Which was more stupid? Fighting or stopping you from hitting each other?" 

"Where is Potter?" he demanded.

"I asked him to leave before you started another brawl."

As his response, Draco let out a soft grunt of pain. Ginny then lightly patted the wounded lip. "This will give you a lovely bruise later on, do you know that?" she said.

"Unless you do something about it with your wand," said Draco sarcastically.

With that, Ginny's eyes narrowed. "Why should I?" she asked nastily. "I saw you kissing Blaise Zabini."

Draco looked at her as if she was out of her mind. This was not the time for this, really! But nevertheless, his mouth quirked up in an amused grin, even though it hurt a little. "Correction, SHE kissed me, I pulled away."

"Well that doesn't disregard the fact that you had lip contact," insisted Ginny.

"Are you jealous?" asked Draco in spite of himself.

"No," said Ginny quickly, frowning. "I just thought that you might want to refrain yourself from flirting with other women till our divorce. Just what would my parents and everybody say if they see you snogging every woman you see while you're engaged to me?" Then Ginny stopped short. 

Yes, other women… Draco couldn't be send with someone other than her, right? But earlier, with Blaise-- Then she frowned. _"So what if he is?"_ she said spitefully to herself. _"He can see or snog all the women he wants for all I care!"_ But then, why did she feel-- She sighed upon remembering the different reactions of the women, even her Gryffindor friends, when they saw him. She had long ago realized and accepted that Draco was a good-looking man but his attractiveness did not stop there. He had this complex personality that drew women to him. There was just something so bad about him… a good-bad kind of thing that women found so irresistible. Evil! Yes! That was the word! Everything about Draco was irresistibly evil and mysterious… he was a walking temptation. It was like a forbidden fruit. The more forbidden, the more delicious it would be. Women flocked to him because they wanted to know the real him, to understand the real him, which he kept deep inside of himself.

"And you're jealous?" Draco finished for her, the urge to annoy and tease her getting stronger despite Vladimir's sudden decision to change the will. 

"I am not jealous!"

"And you're angry?"

"I am not angry!" Ginny cried indignantly.

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not!"

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"You're annoying me again, aren't you?" Ginny asked smirking. "Well, I kissed Harry."

This shut Draco up. He stared at her and for some reason, another set of rage and anger began to rise within him. He felt like hitting someone again, Potter in particular. "Well, I guess that makes us even," he said with forced calmness.

"I guess so," she replied finally standing up. Draco stood up as well. "But don't you worry, I'm not thinking of backing out of the deal."

"Of course not," said Draco as Ginny then swished her wand against his face. He closed his eyes as he felt the pain finally ebbing away. "Especially now that Grandfather has decided to give you half of the fortune."

With that, Ginny's jaw dropped. "What!" she cried. "What do you mean?"

"It means that you get 201 million galleons," said Draco flatly. "Whereas I get— well, 61 million. Of course he doesn't know that you'll be getting 69 million in addition," he continued. Then he smirked. "So I'll definitely see you on our wedding day, Virginia." Then without waiting for her answer, he turned around and made his way back to the ballroom, completely leaving her dumbfounded, staring after him.

End of Part VIII 


	9. The Serpent and the Rose

Author's notes: Again, I'M REALLY SORRY!!! I just finished this chapter just last week and I'm really sorry to keep everybody waiting. I'm just busy with something, I've just graduated from college and currently looking for work. Anyway, special thanks to all my beta-readers: **Tuva, ****Alli-chan, Fred and ****Violetjersey. Hey! For all you people who are into psycho thriller HP fic, check out Violetjersey's ****Goodnight My Someone! That fic totally rocks. A warning though, other than the violence, that fic centers on a completely different HP scenario, alternate universe. So if you're not used to seeing Draco drive a car or something, then please don't read and ruin your day.**

Another special thanks to **Gryffingirl for the ****wedding portraits! Here's the url: **http://www.geocities.com/gryffingirl960/wedding** They are simply awesome! Just what I have in mind! Please e-mail her and tell her what you think. **

Special thanks to **Natalie too for the fic suggestions! I'm really sorry but I was so stupid, I deleted your message before I even get to reply. I just want to let you know that your 'two cents' were very much appreciated! **

Thank you also to the people who gave me their suggestions when it comes to Draco's wedding clothes! Especially to **Pamela! He really does look good. ::sigh:: I wish I was Ginny…**

And lastly but certainly not the least, to all the people who tirelessly waited and reviewed! Animagus-steph, Bellus Animus, Coffee, Clavel, Verena Gruen, and lots and lots of you out there! There are just so many I can't seem to remember… sorry if I can't thank you all individually but you know my deepest gratitude goes out to all of you! You guys kept me going! 

I hope nobody finds this chapter boring… well, at least for the first part… I was even bored myself ::chuckles:: but please do understand that it's quite essential or you can just skim through it and get to the juicy parts ::lol:: Here's part 9! Enjoy!

Serpent's Bride Part IX: The Serpent and the Rose 

         _Darkness…_

_         "You are well aware that we are losing time here, aren't you?"_

_         The tall man just smiled and nodded. "Just be patient."_

_         "I want her out of the way now!" The woman said in a shrill, impatient voice. Then more softly, she added, "I want to be with you."_

_         "We have two days before the wedding, am I right?"_

_         "Yes," she said, pouting like a child being scolded. "And we're wasting time!"_

_         "Not quite," he replied delicately. "This is a most perfect time for this. I have plans. She won't go anywhere."_

_         "I want her dead," she said, coiling her arms around him. Her catlike eyes narrowed with blood-raw hunger as she slowly let her tongue slither against her lips. "I want the tender skin of her throat cut, her blood gushing out everywhere.  I want those delicate breasts, to stop taking in precious air. I want her creamy and smooth face to be deathly white, pale, screaming out such undeniable agonies that her sweet row of freckles would cease to appear.  I want her DEAD."_

_         "Are you afraid that she will make me forget you?" he teased._

_         "No, but I don't believe in the idea of sharing. I'm selfish, you know."_

_         "I assure you, you have nothing to worry about. " The man, once again, smiled, a cold, chilling smile. "The right timing, my sweet, the right timing." _

_         At that, the woman gave a satisfied sigh, her blood red lips curling into a cold, cruel smile. "And then we'll be together?" She pressed her voluptuous body against him, desperately seeking for his warmth. She smiled inwardly upon hearing the man's hiss of hated pleasure.  _

_         He nodded. "Yes, It won't be long now. When she lays dead," he replied without thinking, his voice silky but menacing,  "then we'll be together."_

==========

"Ginny, honey are you all right?"

         Ginny looked up to see her mother against the mirror, her plump frame walking towards her with her light yellow formal dress robe swishing with her every step. She was currently sitting before her vanity, already in her wedding dress, studying her face against the mirror, her nerves twisting. She sighed glumly through her veil and turned back at her own reflection. Had it been a week already since the engagement night? It made her wonder. Why did time fly by so quickly without her enjoying a single minute of it? Shouldn't it have been the other way around?

         "What are you still doing sitting down there?" Molly asked. "It's already 6 and your wedding starts at 6:30!" she exclaimed.

         "I— I don't think I can— I can do this," said Ginny finally. She turned her eyes to her mother. "I'm— I—"

         "What are you saying?" Molly cried out. She then summoned a chair inside the bride's bedchamber and sat down beside her. "Honey, are you feeling all right?"

         Ginny looked at her. "To tell you honestly," she began, "no, I'm not feeling all right," she continued, shaking her head. She bit her lip as she felt the blood draining from her face.

         Upon seeing that, Molly sighed and decided not to press her any longer. "Ginny, would you like to have a walk in the garden?" she asked instead, standing up.

         In spite of the worry and the anxiousness, her daughter looked up, confused. "What? Now?" she asked.

         "Yes," said Molly nodding.

         "But, my wedding's at 6:30," said Ginny back. Immediately, she felt something heavy dropping inside her stomach at the thought of 'her' wedding. "And I'm— in my wedding dress and all."

         "Oh don't worry about your wedding dress. If it gets dirty, then we can fix it later," said Molly as she helped Ginny stand up. "And about your wedding, let them wait. And if the groom gets upset, just tell me and I'll take care of him," she added, her voice rich with motherly fierceness. 

         At that, a chuckle escaped Ginny's lips in spite of herself. She shook her head and carefully removed her veil and tiara. She then stood and picked her skirts up, following her mother towards the chamber's pavilion. The pavilion? Frowning with confusion, they stopped before the stone-carved balustrade. 

"What are we doing mother?" she asked uncertainly, looking below. A gasp of disbelief suddenly erupted from her lips upon seeing two broomsticks hovering just a little below them, waiting. She turned to her mother and shook her head firmly. "No, mother. If you're thinking of going down there, using those brooms, with this heavy dress on me then the answer is—" 

         "Oh pish-posh and all that nonsense! Do you want your guests to see you walking towards the doors as if you changed you mind? Give them something to talk about?" Molly asked, shaking her head. Then without waiting for Ginny to answer back, she climbed onto the balustrade and hopped onto the broomstick, landing quite awkwardly because of her heavy build, much to Ginny's disbelief. "Hop on, dear!" she cried as she hovered around the pavilion, her huge robes swirling around her.

         Ginny shook her head but nevertheless, she found herself climbing the balustrade as well, as if she had no choice. _"I can't believe I'm doing this. Just what would Draco say if he saw me in my wedding dress, on top of the pavilion's balustrade?" she hissed to herself as she stood on top of the stone railing for a moment. __"Would this even give him the impression that I'm going to jump to my death?" She couldn't resist asking herself. A soft giggle escaped her lips at the thought of Draco looking up and seeing her on top of the pavilion railing only to realize that she wanted to die because she would be marrying him in less than 15 minutes. She then leaned over the banister a little to survey the drop. Too high. She gathered up her skirts, which were already swooshing and swirling all around her. Then carefully checking her footing, she hopped on her own broomstick, her dress flying out from behind her as she hovered above the pavilion. __"Or better yet, what would he think if he saw me in my wedding dress, flying around like a crazy old witch on her wedding day? Or what if one of the guests sees me? What would they think?" she supplied as she followed her mother, zooming away towards the manor's gardens.  __"This is crazy. Why did I ever let myself get talked into this?" she thought as she sped towards the dark sky._

         But as soon as the wind touched her face, all the sarcastic thoughts seemed to drift away, blown away by the gentle breeze. She closed her eyes momentarily as she savored the feel of the cold night air against her skin. She felt surprisingly a little warm considering that it was already near to winter. She opened her eyes and turned questioningly to her mother who was flying beside her. 

         Molly, upon feeling Ginny's eyes resting on her, turned to her and smiled. "I used a simple flame-warming charm on the brooms," she shouted as they neared the Malfoy's large flowerbeds. Due to the massive lot allotted just for the garden, the flowerbeds looked like tiny patches of scattered islands.

_"Flowerbeds?" Ginny thought upon seeing the flower heads just below her. She frowned. Of course with the darkening sky, she couldn't exactly point out what kind of flowers there were and their corresponding colors. But nevertheless, she thought that they were simply lovely. But then considering that the Malfoy gardens had flowerbeds? Malfoy? Flowerbeds? Actually she had expected 4 ft. Venus flytraps and human-eating plants growing and gnawing every living creature they saw everywhere. Flowerbeds simply didn't 'make' them._

"You still want to go down and have a walk?" Molly asked as they reached the Malfoy woodland. "We're entering the woods. It'll be dangerous to fly through it at night"

"No," answered Ginny. It was much better up there, flying and feeling the wind against her face. She kind of missed this, as a matter of fact. Since when was the last time she hopped on a broomstick? 

Molly chuckled. "Thought you'd say that," she said. "Let's go then!"

Then they fell silent as they swept towards the woods, their faces set in deep concentration as they busily swerved and avoided the huge trees. Of course, she was a much faster flier than Molly, considering the fact that she was younger and had better eyesight. Ginny felt the old adrenaline rush she used to feel when she was still playing Quidditch for Gryffindor. She laughed as she nearly crashed against a huge tree. 

"Ginny, be careful!" Molly cried upon seeing her daughter just missing the tree by an inch. 

"I'm okay!" Ginny yelled as she leaned her body forwards causing the broom to go even faster, leaving her mother behind her. She squinted as she felt the strong gush of wind blowing into her face.

 The feeling was just simply amazing! She never felt so free and alive as she swooped up and down inside the darkened forest. She knew how terribly dangerous it was to go cruising through the woods at a time like this, but what made it even more terrifying was the speed of her broom, which was so fast that she was willing to bet that if Draco saw her just now, he would suddenly find himself being plagued by a series of heart attacks. She was flying like mad! And she didn't care at all! It was like jumping off a cliff and never caring if she would live or die. It was like taking a big risk and not giving a damn about the consequences. And in reality, on solid ground, back at the Manor, with a thousand guests waiting, with her groom standing there, she was taking risks. She was jumping off a cliff but the thing was, with this kind of 'cliff', she was so sure that she would live, paving a way for a completely different life, without knowing for sure if she would live happily or live tragically. At that thought, Ginny decided to fly higher, leaving the mass of trees behind her.

She slowed her broom as she lazily circled the night sky, her head swimming with thoughts, questions and realizations, the woodland below her already forgotten. With the coming wedding, surprisingly she finally realized that she didn't feel any contempt or hatred. Until that moment, she could never comprehend what she was feeling. Other than the fact that she would be marrying one of the wizarding world's and no doubt, England's most sought out and richest bachelor, (even if his father had been in league with the dark lord), she would be marrying Draco Edward Malfoy. Harry Potter's lifetime nemesis. She was practically the girl who chose a man whose father had been a Death Eater, an enemy of the whole wizarding society over The Boy Who Lived, the one who defeated Voldemort more than once! And speaking of Harry, she hadn't seen him since the engagement party mishap. And just thinking about that brought about melancholy feelings within her. Would she ever see him again? Was he angry? But then—

She shook her head, quite disgusted with herself. What was she doing? She came here to think, right? To sort things out. To convince herself to go on and marry Draco. But what had it gotten her? She was comparing Draco with Harry! She was thinking about Harry and then Draco and back again! _"And that's not a good idea, Virginia Weasley," she scolded herself. What did she really want, anyway? She forced herself to think 'sensibly' again and decided to steer her broom back towards the manor. Thinking about these things wasn't helping. What she should do was to get back at the manor, fix herself, get married and spend a few months of her life miserably. Well, at least she would be getting 201 millions Galleons as consolation. She secretly wondered how Draco was taking all of it. __"Think about something that would be of some use to your present situation, would you? And not about the money!"  At that, she frowned and forced herself to think about her wedding._

She would be Mrs. Draco Edward Malfoy in a few minutes. She said to herself after a moment. And somehow there was a bittersweet feeling attached to it. Surprisingly, it didn't mortify her or shock her as it did before. In fact, she was curious about what her life would be. A mixture of fear and reluctant excitement rushed inside her at the thought of marrying Draco, at the thought of starting a completely different life with him. After two months of kissing and bickering and bantering, Ginny had come up with the conclusion that, although she tried to deny it, deep inside she was no different from the other women who flocked to him. But then, she wouldn't exactly call it 'flocking' (she was far more different from other women when it came to that) It was just a matter of getting close to him and not 'eating' him alive. It actually shocked her to realize that she actually wanted to get close to him in order to understand him, much like the other women did. She wanted to find out why he was like that, to find out about the real him. Unconsciously, he intrigued her. Just who was the real Draco? He couldn't be that bad now could he? She just didn't believe that someone was capable of being that cruel without a reason. Without her being aware of it, a soft spot was growing inside of her for that man. But to tell exactly what that soft spot was, as of now, was impossible.  

 Not long after that last notion, her bedchamber's huge window came into view. Slowing her broom down to a halt, she guided it a little above the pavilion and hopped down from it. She was about to enter the chamber when a strangled sort of cry erupted inside the room. She looked up only to see Narcissa's horror stricken face staring at her.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR GOWN?" she asked in a shrill voice that nearly shook the wooden posts of the big canopied bed on the center of the room. Ginny looked down only to see the bottom of her dress dirty, torn and tattered, just as she had expected. She bit her lip in order to suppress a smile.

"Foolish girl!" Narcissa scolded as she pulled Ginny inside the chamber. "Just look at you! For goodness sake!" she babbled as she forced Ginny to sit against her vanity table. Ginny frowned with subtle amusement, finally obliging. She watched Draco's mother fuss over her.  "All worried! The rest of us! It's already 7:15! Draco's waiting, pacing back and forth with worry! Where were you?"

         "Uh— I— just went out for a walk, you know, to think," answered Ginny while Narcissa busily swished and flicked her wand around her.

         "Ginny, honey, you will forgive me if I say that I don't believe that you were just walking and thinking, right?" Narcissa said as she surveyed the sorry state of her wedding gown. Her frown deepened even more when her silver eyes trailed to her face, which was all smudged with dirt. Narcissa nearly fainted when her eyes reached her hair, all disarrayed with leaves and little twigs sticking out from it. She shook her head and turned around. "Molly, I found her!" she called suddenly.

         At that, Molly Weasley slowly emerged from the hallway door, looking neat and tidy for someone who just went out to have a rough broom ride. She looked at Ginny and frowned slightly. "Now, dear that wasn't nice. Sneaking off like that," she quipped.

         Ginny frowned with disbelief. She was about to answer back when she noticed her mother looking meaningfully at her and then eyeing Narcissa. Getting her meaning, Ginny sighed and cast her eyes down. "I'm sorry, mother, Mrs. Malfoy," she finally said. 

         "Now's not the time to be sorry," said Narcissa as she swished her wand here and there hastily. "Really, honey, I know this is none of my business and frankly it is not my concern if you so want to go out riding your broom at night. But really," she paused as she watched the hem of her gown slowly stitching itself together, "don't you think that now's not the right time to go out night strolling?" she finally finished. She gave a satisfied sigh upon seeing the ripped parts of her hem gown all gone. "Just where did you go anyway?"

         Ginny, before answering, closed her eyes first as Molly swished her wand around her form, making all the dirt and dust disappear from her hair and face. "The garden," she answered, opening her eyes and looking at her reflection.

         "And--," prodded Narcissa, not thoroughly convinced.

         With that, Ginny sighed and looked down guiltily. "The— the woodland," she finally.

         "The woodland!" Narcissa exclaimed. Ginny could tell that, even with her soft almost calm voice, Narcissa was most displeased by what she did. "You were flying your broom at this time of night in the woodland?"

         "Yes," squeaked Ginny.  Somehow, Ginny couldn't tell Narcissa Malfoy that it was not her business if she had so decided to go out and ride her broom like crazy through the woodland. Considering the fact that she made her and everybody worry, it was just that there was something inside her that just couldn't speak those rude, impolite words to her. And Narcissa had the right to be angry. She had the right to nag her since this was partly her fault.

         "What were you thinking? That's why— with the state of your dress--" Narcissa continued, her voice trailing as Molly then began waving her wand against her head to rearrange Ginny's hair. "Don't you have a single idea on how dangerous it was to fly through the woodland at night?"

         "I'm sorry," said Ginny soberly.

         At that, Narcissa sighed. "Well, what's done is done, anyway," she said. She looked at her at first before shaking her head tiredly. When Ginny turned to her and met her eyes, she let out a tiny smile. "Okay, you're already fixed up," she said as she tenderly tucked a single strand of one loose hair behind her ear. "Just do something about your make-up, all right? We'll wait for you in the grand ball room."

         "All right," said Ginny, turning once again to her mirror. 

         "And don't try anything funny again, all right?" Narcissa said while walking towards the door. Molly had decided to busy herself by looking for her daughter's cat. When a soft mew rang inside the chamber, Molly bent down and picked the white cat up in her arms and began stroking it.

         "I won't."

         "And be quick."

         "I will, thank you."

         Once alone, Ginny turned to Molly and frowned with much disapproval. "I can't believe you didn't say anything!" she exclaimed, standing up and pacing the room furiously.

         "Why should I say anything?" Molly asked, her huge fingers deftly raking through the cat's white fur making it purr loudly with content. "She won't understand anything if I try to tell her."

         At that, Ginny stopped and turned to her. In spite of everything, she smiled. "You knew about this, don't you?" she asked.

         Molly turned to her innocently. "Whatever did you mean by it?" She let her fingers play over the cat's tummy making it purr louder.

         Ginny shook her head and made her way back towards her vanity. Tiredly sitting down, she turned to their reflection. "There were the brooms," she said, one eye-brow raised.  
         "And that doesn't prove that I know anything," said Molly, sitting down on the bed.

         Ginny frowned. "Really mother," she began, "did you really expect me to believe that that's where the Malfoys keep their brooms? If you do, then sorry, I don't really find it that convincing."

         "Did you think it over already?" her mother asked instead. Ginny momentarily closed her eyes upon hearing the tone of her voice, rich with concern and understanding. She cast her eyes down.

         "Yes," answered Ginny softly. She turned to her mother and smiled faintly. "Was that what you wanted me to do?"

         "What did your heart say?" Molly asked instead. She stood up and finally let go of the cat. It scampered away back to its favorite hiding place, under the bed.

         Ginny silently thought about her realizations earlier, biting her lower lip. _"I want to understand him. I want to find out the real him. I have so many questions. He couldn't be that bad could he?" She then looked at her mother. "I'll marry him."_

         Molly smiled and made her way towards her. She took out a tiny box from her robe pocket and placed it on top her vanity. "Then it's time that I give you this," she said, opening the box to reveal a rose breast pin. 

         Ginny's eyes widened. "Mother," she breathed while picking the brooch from its dark blue box, "This— this is very beautiful," she gushed as she studied the rose pin against her palm. It's stem was long as her ring finger with a single leaf on its left side, curved elegantly to hold the five petals of it's head. It was made purely from gold while the five petals were made entirely from rubies. "Where did you get this?" she asked looking at her mother with amazement.

         Molly smiled. "From my father," she said. "The rose is the Aurelius' crest, you know."

         "Yes, but why," Ginny stopped as she turned her eyes once again on the brooch, its red and golden sparkle almost blinding her, "We didn't know that you had something that valuable! We thought that—"

         "It was traditionally given to the women on their wedding day," said Molly, her hands reaching for the pin. She held it against her hand, staring at it with misted eyes. "It's an antique. Of course I should've given this to Fleur or Jane or to Grace or to Hermione, especially to Fleur since she's your eldest sister-in-law but," she stopped and handed the brooch back to Ginny, "something tells me that I just hadto give it to you. Other than you're my only daughter, I just have this funny feeling—"

"Grandfather didn't give this to you," concluded Ginny after a moment.

         At that, Molly sighed. She looked up and took a deep breath. "Yes, you're grandfather didn't give it to me. Actually, I stole it from him."

         "Why?" Ginny asked frowning.

         "To give it to you."

         Ginny's frown deepened at the vague answer. Molly, in turn, noticed the confused and puzzled expression written on her daughter's face. As much as she wanted to clarify everything, she just couldn't. How could she give out clear answers if she herself couldn't understand what to make of the brooch? She stole it, yes, she did. Why? She didn't know. Marrying Arthur with or without the rose pin really didn't make a difference. As long as she was with Arthur, nothing really did matter. And why she had gone through all that trouble just to steal it away from the Aurelius' Manor under the hawk-eyes of her father really was unexplainable. She couldn't even sell the brooch even when they were in desperate need of money. She couldn't even give it to Fleur or Jane or Grace or Hermione! Something inside her just told her that the brooch belonged to Ginny, and she couldn't even understand why.

         "Of course, I'll be expecting that you wear it someday," she said instead. It was clear to Ginny that Molly wanted to drop the subject "But for now, I take it that Draco's expecting the necklace he gave you?"

         At that, Ginny decided to put the brooch back inside its box. "Yes," she answered opening one of her drawers and taking out the velvet box of the serpent necklace. She carefully pulled it out of the box and placed it around her neck, its cold, golden chain coiling against her tender skin, the serpent pendant taking its usual place on her chest, staring at her once again. _"I'm really doing this," she thought as Molly, in turn, carefully placed her veil and tiara over her head._

         "You look beautiful, honey," her mother said suddenly.

         _"Do I really?" thought Ginny as she stared at her reflection. "__They say all brides are beautiful on their wedding day," she said to herself as her fingers went up to caress the soft material of her veil. It made her wonder. __"Am I one of those brides?" She stared at her reflection once again, but what looked back at her dismayed her. Through the thin material of the veil she noticed her eyes, so small and so brown. For her, brown was a common color. Why couldn't she have had green instead, or even dark violets. Well, she admittted it would look quite odd for a redhead to have violet eyes, but still, another eye color would be nicer than her boring brown one. And why couldn't she have those doe-innocent eyes that she had always admired? Her 'boring' eyes then traveled to her nose, so small and so very much upturned. She mentally frowned with disgust upon seeing the faint freckles fighting to get free from under the make-up she had put on. She also noticed her lips were too small, her hair too red and her skin too pale… All in all, she thought herself nothing but plain and ugly. She wasn't built for a man like Draco. _

         _"So what if you're ugly?" she suddenly found herself asking. Ginny nodded slowly. Yes, so what? Anyway, she was marrying a Malfoy so what did it matter? In fact, she lifted her chin stubbornly. She hoped that she would be ugly for his sake. She didn't want to please him in any way, let alone to give him a beautiful, rosy bride._

         "Ginny, come," said Molly as she tapped her lightly on her bare shoulder. "It is time," she added.

         At that, Ginny lifted herself and her heavy dress up from her seat and began gathering her skirts in her hands. Once comfortable and settled, she let go of the dress to take the bouquet of fresh flowers her mother handed her.

         "Draco's waiting," said Molly as she led her daughter outside the chamber. Ginny nodded and took a deep breath.

         _"Yes," she thought as she followed her mother towards the hallway then to the grand staircase, the long train of her wedding dress creating a pool of white, silken water moving behind her, __"Draco's waiting."_

==========

         "I think she changed her mind."

         Draco turned around only to see Blaise smiling up at him. She had her arms across her chest, her black fitted dress barely containing the generous amount of her bosom, which was provocatively going up and down in front of him. Of all the guests, it seemed that only Blaise was the only one wearing black. His eyes narrowed into slits upon seeing the slow smirk curling her red lips. All in all, Blaise looked luscious and irritating at the same time.

         "Virginia wouldn't do that," said Draco as he willed himself to believe that. When he heard Blaise chuckle, he frowned and tried his best to hide the obvious worry plaguing him. Where was Virginia and what was taking her so long? Was Blaise right? Did she change her mind? What would he do now? What would he say to his family and to his guests? Did she find him most unsuitable? Or worse, did she run away with that Potter moron? Such a thought surprisingly angered him. Then remembering Ginny kissing that scar-faced man during their engagement party made his overwhelming desire to hit Potter again and again increase even more. He looked away from Blaise, partly to hide the building uneasiness from her and partly to settle his eyes back at the grand ballroom's huge front doors to look anxiously for his bride. _"Thinking of stupid things have become one of my habits these past few months." _

         "What makes you say that?" purred Blaise as she sidled up closer to him, close enough for Draco to feel the rising and falling of her chest but not close enough to make people stare with shock and talk. 

         "She was a Gryffindor. She doesn't have the guts to do something like that," answered Draco as he deliberately took a step forward, a little away from her.

         "So you think you're little bride's all that 'Mary Sue' kind of thing?" asked Blaise, unmindful of the curious and restless voices of the guests around them. It was clear that everybody was wondering why the wedding hadn't even started yet, other than the bride was still missing… "Now, that would be boring, don't you think?"

         Draco frowned. "She's not a boring Mary Sue at all, Blaise," he said rather icily. _"I wouldn't call her a Mary Sue, " he thought remembering the many times Virginia deliberately spat nasty words at him. __"And I wouldn't exactly call her boring either," he added remembering the many times they had kissed. Then he remembered the 'boring' sex he had with Blaise a month ago. Sure, this woman did turn him on once in a while, after all he was a normal man with 'normal' needs. But when it came to her, as in Blaise IN PERSON, she really bored the hell out of , unlike before. Draco bit back a chuckle. Blaise calling Virginia boring? She might as well look at herself first._

         "Oh my Draco," said Blaise sweetly. "Now that's something I didn't quite expect coming from you. Tell me, have you forgotten our talk two days ago?"

         Draco sighed tiredly. Why wouldn't just Blaise leave him alone first? Now was not the time for this. "Of course not," he answered with forced patience.

         "Good," said Blaise. Then she frowned delicately. "I understand that Virginia's getting 201 million Galleons?" she asked, changing the subject.

         "Yes."

         "Does she already know?"

         "Yes."

         "Conjugal property?"

         "Might be," said Draco. He looked around only to see people getting restless. His mother was frowning and going about the room while Virginia's family was trying their best to ease their guests by saying that Virginia was probably getting dressed or something. What puzzled him the most was his grandfather. Vladimir Malfoy II was actually smiling and grinning as if he knew that this would happen. _"Did he? He found himself asking. "__Did he have something to do with this?" Then he forced such foolish thoughts away.  "After all Grandfather was expecting for her to do this to me," he finally added._

         "Then why doesn't she just leave you now? After all she got most of the fortune?"

         "She can't," said Draco, smirking. "As long as my Grandfather's breathing, neither of us can't get all the money. Grandfather's controlling it. He gives me some of it occassionally."

         "Does that Weasley know?" asked Blaise.

         "No, that is a talk that requires just me and my grandfather," he replied flatly. For some unknown reason, he found it very irksome hearing Blaise's nasty voice calling his bride Weasley as if having Weasley for a last name was both ridiculous and illegal. "But I do believe that Virginia knows that it's a magical contract, unlike some Muggle contract-signing thing and all that rubbish. My grandfather must be dead and rotting in his grave before she can even think of a way to spend it."

         Blaise gave a soft, disgusted sigh. "In that case, we'll be dating when we're 50. Look at your grandfather. Does it look like he's dying?" she asked in that snotty voice she used when very displeased. She turned to the older man only to seem him tossing Sylvia up into the air, completely unmindful of the tense atmosphere around them.

         "Don't let his looks deceive you," said Draco knowingly. "Are you forgetting that my grandfather's a half-vampire?"

         Realizing he had a point, Blaise turned to him and smiled in agreement. "So what are you planning to do now?" she asked instead.

         Draco turned to her, his expression unreadable. "Get my fair share," he replied.

         Blaise smiled coldly. "And that's where the 'cunning plan' enters?" she asked expectantly.

         But before Draco could answer, a sudden hush filled the grand ballroom. He looked around and saw all the people turning towards the ballroom entrance. Frowning, he looked as well only to see Ginny, all in white, finally there, standing just outside the ballroom front entrance, looking so shy and unsure. Draco's eyes slightly widened as he stared at her, all his anxiety and worry disappearing to be replaced by relief and awe.

         Ginny stood there, her brown eyes darting from left to right. She bit her lip upon feeling all eyes turning towards her. She looked around to find her eyes settling on the man standing just beside the wall, eyeing her with those sparkling silver eyes. An unexpected sigh escaped her rouged lips upon seeing her 'groom' standing there and actually managing to look very handsome in his white buttoned-up shirt, black trousers and his heavy black cape with its silver serpent clasp holding it in place. Upon feeling her face getting hot, she forced her eyes somewhere else and saw the same people from her engagement party. There were her family, her Gryffindor friends and Selena, smiling and waving at her, Vladimir's friends and business associates…  She gulped. Judging from the now-disarranged seats inside the huge ballroom told her that she had gotten everybody worried. She licked her lips nervously.

         "What took you so long, Virginia?" a loud voice suddenly boomed, breaking the ice. Virginia looked around and spotted Vladimir, with her father, walking towards her and grinning. As for her father's case, he was pensive. Almost immediately, loud murmurs of confusion and relief swept through the ballroom. 

         "Virginia?" Arthur said neutrally upon reaching her. "Explain."

         Ginny again bit her lip before speaking. "I— I had to think first," she stammered.

         "Ah, a typical bridal moment," said Vladimir quickly, with a nonchalant wave of his wand. "Nothing trifle. At least she showed up, eh?" He then turned to his guests, all waiting and looking unsure. "If everybody would be so kind as to step a little away from the chairs…" He stopped and looked around expectantly. When everybody obliged, Vladimir then took his wand out and with a simple flick, all the chairs went back to their orderly manner. Then turning to Ginny, he smiled and winked. "Now, let's have that wedding, shall we?"

         Ginny smiled. "Thank you," she said softly as Arthur Weasley offered his arm. Ginny smiled at her father and took it.

         "Are you ready, honey?" his father asked softly. 

         Ginny merely nodded.

         "Now will you please take your seat?" Draco hissed at Blaise upon seeing his grandfather and the minister walking towards him. 

         "Of course," said Blaise while lightly squeezing his right arm. "I'll see you later?"

         "Yes," replied Draco impatiently. At that, Blaise, together with the guests, settled once again to their seats as Draco positioned himself before the guests. 

         Draco took a deep breath upon feeling his grandfather finally taking his place beside him, just in front of the minister. When everything was settled, the restlessness vanquished, the orchestra started playing the bridal march. Ginny began to walk, arm in arm with her father as the crowd stood up.

         "Beautiful, isn't she?" Vladimir whispered to Draco as Ginny began walking towards them.

         "Yes," said Draco without even thinking. He swallowed hard upon noticing the pristine whiteness of her princess-cut gown which bared her creamy shoulders. On her head was a small and delicate-looking tiara holding her almost floor-length veil made entirely from satin. She had her hair swept back, parted to the side, giving him a glimpse of her tender skin.  On her chest, just around her neck, was the serpent necklace he gave her, looking straight at him. An unusual burst of pride swelled from within him upon noting her wearing his family's crest, proclaiming to all the world just whom she belonged to. Their eyes met. She smiled. Draco felt a funny and unexplainable feeling from his chest which settled itself inside his stomach. Surprisingly, and for the first time in his life, he was feeling nervous. 

         Ginny took a deep, calming breath when they reached Draco and Vladimir. When Arthur proceeded to hand her right hand to Draco, she felt sick with nervousness. As Draco took it gently, shook her father's hand and steered her towards the minister, she was ready to have a heart attack. She looked up to see the calm and unaffected expression on Draco's face and wondered just how many times Draco had gotten himself married. It seemed like he was used to it! Well, considering the fact that Draco was a girl magnet everywhere he went…

         When the orchestra music slowly faded and the guests sat back down once again, the minister cleared his throat loudly and began the simple wedding ceremony. Ginny, her span of attention drifting elsewhere, half-listened…

         "Mrs. Draco Edward Malfoy…" 

         The name played over and over again, like a broken record inside her head. She frowned upon hearing the voice of the minister slowly fading into nothingness… and before she knew it, she was now facing Draco. Then he was placing the ring on her right left finger and she on his, their hands joined together before a hundred pairs of watchful eyes. She couldn't even remember where the bouquet of flowers she'd been holding went. 

         Draco, in turn, smiled at her softly. Then much to Ginny's surprise, she felt him giving her hand a soft, reassuring squeeze. _"Is he trying to calm down my nerves?" she asked herself. Ginny could do nothing but look at him sweetly. Much to her shock, she found the sudden action so endearing. She looked up at him and completely forgetting that this was Draco Malfoy, she let out a grateful, genuine smile. _

         "Do you, Virginia, take Draco as your lawfully wedded husband, to be of one heart and one soul, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

         _"Such familiar words," she thought, her mind drifting off again elsewhere. She remembered hearing it when Hermione married Ron, when Cho married Harry, when Jane married Percy… It was like everybody all around her was getting married, finding someone they loved… then with a single turn of her destiny, here she was, standing in front of the man everybody believed she loved, now being asked that question she had so desired… and now…_

         "Virginia?" Draco suddenly asked, forcing her mind back from memory lane. Ginny blinked up at him. Draco raised one eyebrow questioningly.

         "Oh," she said, forcing her brain to focus. Then smiling sweetly, she looked into his eyes. "I do," she said, her voice soft and clear at the same time.

         With that, the minister nodded and continued asking Draco the same question. 

         "… For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

         "I do," replied Draco, loud and clear, his eyes not leaving her face. Then to Ginny's surprise, he grinned boyishly at her and winked. It took all of Ginny's will power not to giggle and ruin the solemnity of the ceremony. It actually amazed her how young and better Draco looked when he grinned. It was a look of a child, a boy with no worries, problems or whatsoever and at that moment, Ginny wished that Draco would grin like that more often. 

With that, the minister raised his hands, placing it on top of their heads, barely touching their hair. "And with the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife," he proclaimed. Then turning to the couple, he smiled and let his hands down. "You may now kiss the bride."

"Finally," Draco couldn't help saying. At that, Ginny couldn't contain her laughter any longer as a chuckle escaped her lips. Her mirth increased even more when he made a futile attempt to lift her floor-length veil with just one motion. 

"Blast it!" he suddenly said rather loudly as he was forced to bend down as she stood still, watching him. Ginny's eyebrows went up a notch upon seeing Draco looking so… so… comical before her. The crowd laughed and clapped with amusement as Ginny turned to the minister, smiling apologetically, but nevertheless chuckling. 

"There," said Draco as finally got hold of the hem. He lifted the veil off her face, the hem scrunched up against his big hands. He then placed the thin material behind her head, letting it fall gently down to her back. "Honestly, could that veil get any longer?" he asked with mild sarcasm. Then without another word, Draco slowly lifted her face up to his, smiled tenderly at first and kissed her.

Ginny closed her eyes as she felt his soft lips against hers. Amidst the loud applause of the people around her, she let out a surprised cry when she felt Draco's arms tightening about her to lift her an inch or two from the floor. At that moment, Ginny willed herself to pretend that this was all real. That this was the thing that she had been dreaming of ever since she saw Bill marrying Fleur, looking so happy and in love. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms about his neck and deepened the kiss. She gave a soft whimper of pleasure upon feeling Draco kissing her with the same feeling of hunger and urgency.

         "Ladies and gentlemen," the minister suddenly said. "Mr. and Mrs. Draco Edward Malfoy!"

         At that, the crowd began to clap again, much louder than before. When Draco finally let go of Ginny, they turned and smiled at the huge crowds of people all waiting to congratulate them as they began walking arm in arm. Immediately, the orchestra started playing something lively and the servants rushed in, wands in hand, swishing to and fro. Not long after, a refreshment table was set up and gallons and gallons of champagne and wine were served. Immediately, a lively party was started after the solemn ceremony. 

         "Ginny!" Hermione suddenly called out amidst the festive noise around them. Ginny turned around and smiled. She then leaned towards Draco and whispered something in his ear. When Draco nodded, she smiled and made her way towards her.

         "Congratulations!" Hermione greeted breathlessly, giving her a hug.

         "Thank you," said Ginny when Hermione finally let go. "Where's Ron?" she asked looking around.

         "He's with the guys," answered Hermione. She paused and took a sip of her wine. "Discussing Quidditch and brooms. What took you so long, by the way?"

         Ginny shook her head and smiled. "I had to think," she said.

         "Oh," said the other woman understandingly. She was about to open her mouth when a bunch of female chatter and giggles reached their ears. She looked behind Ginny and saw Lavender, Parvati and Padma Patil and a girl named Selena approaching them.

         "Congratulations, Ginny," Parvati and Lavender said at the same time. With that, another round of giggles came about.

         "Mm…" Lavender began as her eyes went from Ginny to Draco, who was conversing pleasantly with a bunch of men. "I must admit that you married a good looking man, Ginny," she said, almost drooling. 

         Ginny turned to Lavender and laughed. "I did, didn't I?" she said, turning to Draco as well. "You just don't know how 'expensive' that man was in the marriage market," she kidded. But then partly it was true, that man was worth millions and millions of galleons. The ladies laughed. 

         "Have you thought about your coming 'wedding night'?" Padma suddenly asked, smiling so  that the ladies laughed again. Ginny's face immediately went red.

         "I— I really—" she stopped and turned to her 'husband' as well. Upon seeing his tall elegant frame, his smooth hands, his soft lips, she quickly cast her eyes down and stared at her hands. Unwillingly, it made her wonder. What was he like in bed? How would those hands and lips feel all over her? At the thought, Ginny's face felt hotter than ever. She forced such lewd thoughts away.

         "With a man as good looking as that on top of you?" exclaimed Parvati, looking at Draco's direction. "I wouldn't even care if he was from Slytherin!"

         "And speaking of your wedding night," piped Selena up. She handed her a wrapped parcel, which Ginny took without a word, "We thought we ought to give you something, you know, useful for tonight."

         "Consider that as a private gift," continued Hermione giggling impishly. "You might not want your husband to see that on the pile of wedding presents later on."

         "What is this?" Ginny asked chuckling.

         "Just open it," they coaxed.

         Shaking her head, Ginny proceeded to tear the wrapping paper away. Just then a faint cry escaped her lips when she caught sight of a sexy red lingerie neatly folded inside the box. She looked up and shook her head. "You're crazy to think that I would wear something— like this---"

         "Oh you're welcome too, Ginny," Lavender said sardonically, rolling her eyes.

         "You know the basic rules when it comes to your wedding night, don't you?" Hermione said giggling like mad. "Seduce and conquer. You must tempt him and in order to do that, you must wear something—uh--- revealing."

         "They say red is a very powerful and provocative color," piped Selena up.

         "I wouldn't— not in a million years—" 

         "Well, well, well," a sultry voice suddenly said behind her. Ginny stopped in mid sentence and turned around to meet the cat-like eyes of Blaise Zabini, her lips curled into a nasty smile. At the sight of the former Slytherin, the laughter died as an uneasy silence dawned on the group. Hermione looked at her as if she was a science experiment gone wrong while the rest of the ladies all became unusually silent and awkward. It was clear to all that Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy had had this 'wild thing' before his marriage to Ginny. "I believe that congratulations are in order, Mrs. Malfoy," she continued, giving emphasis on the word 'Mrs. Malfoy.'

         "Thank you," said Ginny stiffly while Blaise ignored the baleful stare Hermione shot at her direction while taking the box from her. 

         "You wouldn't mind surely if I steal Virginia from you ladies? Just for a little while."  Then without waiting for their answer, Blaise put her arm around her shoulder and steered her away from her friends. Finally alone, she turned to her and smiled. 

           "I know your pretty little scheme, Virginia," she said suddenly. Ginny turned to her and gasped with surprise, her statement catching her off guard. "But don't worry. I won't go off telling it to that blasted old man that Draco often calls his grandfather. Other than Vladimir won't believe a girl like me, I'm just doing this for your husband."

          "I beg your pardon?" Ginny asked, aghast.

         Blaise's nasty smiled widened. "Draco told me everything, honey," she said, her voice rich with poison, but delicate at the same time. "You see, we, Draco and I, have this 'understanding.' Surely you knew that before you agreed to this—" she paused and eyed her from head to foot, "contract," she finally finished. 

         At this, Ginny couldn't say anything. Surprisingly, a pang of pain sliced into her as she looked at the other woman standing across from her. Surely, Blaise was the kind of woman Draco would like to have as a wife. She was stunning and beautiful. She had an air of sophistication about her. She turned to Draco then back to Blaise again only to realize that this was the kind of woman built for a man like Draco. She suited him well.

         Blaise let out a soft chuckle. "Be careful girl," she said upon noting the 'look' she gave Draco. "Don't get your hopes up. Draco makes 'girls' like you mothers once a month. Well, unless you do know 'what' to do to prevent such disaster, which I doubt…" she let her voice trail.

         The momentary pain immediately turned to anger as Ginny saw the cocky smile plastered on Blaise's face. Then without a word, she smiled acidly. "I don't see any problem with that," said Ginny as she held up her right hand. "As long as this ring stays here, I don't see why anything's your business." 

The smile on Blaise's face turned to a frown. Her eyes narrowed evenly. Seeing Blaise's reaction, Ginny smiled even more. Then the black-haired woman let out a nasty chuckle. "Don't push it, Weasley," she said dangerously. "Draco Malfoy doesn't like girls like you. He married you just for the will, don't you forget that."

"Oh really?" Ginny said coolly. "In my case, it's quite understandable. But with yours…" Her voice trailed as her eyes raked up and down Blaise's form. Then she let out a nasty chuckle as well. "Well, he doesn't like you either. You know why? Because if he did, then you'd be the one standing here, wearing this god-forsaken dress and this gold band and not me." And with that, Ginny turned around and walked away, leaving the other woman staring at her with complete disbelief and fury.

         _"Big mistake Weasley," thought Blaise acidly. Her eyes narrowed with malice upon seeing Ginny walking up to Draco and Draco taking her by her hand, kissing her in front of the noisy crowd. Then moments later, she saw Draco excused himself, leaving his bride smiling and laughing as if everything were true. __"You'll get what you deserve, someday. And I'm going to be the one who gives it to you!"_

         She straightened her dress and left the packed ballroom.

===========

         _"How about now?"_

_         "Are you out of your mind? Now's not a good time!"_

_         "I want you right now. I want her dead right now."  _

         _"Not in front of all those people!"_

_         "Fine! You love her!"_

_         "No, I do not!"_

_         "Prove it! Kill her!"_

_         Tension… Silence…_

_         "No, I have plans. Go on back to the party before anybody suspects. I'll be right with you."_

==========

         Ginny sat all alone on Draco's bed late that night waiting for him. She gritted her teeth impatiently, while taking her veil and tiara off. The fire creating a cheerful glow to match the gloomy state of his chamber. There'd better be an extra room inside here or else. She thought. 

After the wedding party, much to her shock, the crowd began chanting and hooting for Draco to take her up into their room. Of course Ginny didn't miss the 'suggestive' excitement and furor of the crowd all around them with Vladimir belting out the loudest of all.  Then to her surprise, Draco then easily hoisted her up into his arms and began marching towards the grand staircase with the loud applause and approval of the crowd following them. 

"Wait, I haven't thrown the bouquet yet," she had said when, at last, they reached the huge doors of his private chambers.

"Give it to me," he said without even bothering to put her down. Then without a word, he had taken the flowers and threw them at the people below them. Selena caught it.

And she laughed with genuine pleasure.

He chuckled and kicked the doors open.

And now, here she was, alone and waiting.

She sighed and decided to stand up. She slowly made her way towards the sturdy desk just lying before the huge windows. She let her fingers travel through the smooth edges of his desk made of oak. Deftly she opened one drawer only to see a set of quills, writing parchments and his family seal orderly settled inside. She didn't quite expect to see how… neat Draco was. Shaking her head, she closed the drawer and let her eyes roam from the desk to the huge bookshelves, then to his big four-poster bed with its heavy velvet drapes. It never did occur to her that Draco was actually a reader. Just seeing the rows and rows of books and thick volumes…

"Looking for something in particular?"

Ginny looked up only to see Draco already inside the room. She was so deep in her thoughts that she hadn't even heard him enter. He looked at her for a while before walking to his bed while casually taking his cape off and settling them aside in a messy heap on top of the night table.

"Where— where have you been?"

         At this, Draco looked up and eyed her sharply. "I just arranged Grandfather's chambers," he replied with rancor. 

         "Oh," said Ginny, stifling her giggles. When Draco saw this, he let out an impatient but angry sigh. "I remember I invited him," she quipped.

         "Which is why I really—"

         "Oh, come on Draco!" Ginny exclaimed, tossing her hands up in the air. She walked towards him. "Can't you see the man's having problems with his indoor plumbing or something? He can't possibly stay there and have water thrown at his face everytime and—"

         "No, you did it to deliberately vex me," he interrupted, standing up. He stared her at her, his face scrunched up with displeasure.

         "I did not," answered Ginny. Well, although it was partly true but then… "This manor has 15 rooms and I just can't see the point of saying that it's too crowded in here to his face!"

         "Oh you did too, Virginia," said Draco. "I can see right through you."

         "Fine!" she said with exasperation. "Think or say anything you want."

         "You know this is war, don't you?" he rasped.

         With that, Ginny stopped. "What?" she asked. When Draco just smiled, her brown eyes flashed with anger. "All right," she said finally. "Bring it on."

         "Fine!"

         "Fine!"

         The two stopped and glared at each other for a while. Just then Ginny cleared her throat. "Where's my bedroom?" she asked.

         At that, a smile once again grazed Draco's face. But it was an entirely different smile and Ginny didn't quite like it all. Well, frankly speaking, she felt warm and feverish but—

         "You sure you want to spend the night all alone?" Draco asked in that soft, silky voice of his again that sent warning bells inside Ginny's head. The warning bells increased even more, when Draco took a step towards her, closing in the space between them till she could feel the rising heat from his body going out to hers. Just then an idea struck her.

         _"You want war, eh? Then war's what you're going to get." She thought looking up at him. She then smiled sweetly. "As a matter of fact, I've changed my mind," she said, putting her arms all around him._

         Draco's eyes widened with shock upon seeing the brave and daring move and actually hearing the sexy drawl that came out of her lips. Whatever happened to the world right now? Good lord! He didn't know that she was capable of doing something like this! He had always thought Virginia to be prim and proper oftentimes shy and— _"Now's not the time to think of such things, Draco Malfoy!" his body screamed upon feeling Ginny's small, heated body pressing closer to his with her hands doing something 'interesting' against his chest. He chuckled mentally. At that moment, Draco vowed to get to know her better. But in the meantime— He put his arms around her waist._

         "Remember, Virginia?" he whispered huskily, bringing his lips to her neck. Ginny threw her head back and gasped out loud as Draco began placing wet, hot kisses on them. "Just as I have promised…"

         "I know," she said breathlessly as Draco's hands went immediately to the back of her gown only to unzip it. She wound her arms around him and pressed her body closer to his. Then mustering all her courage, she lightly brought her lips to his ear and lightly nipped at it.

         Draco hissed out with pleasure upon feeling her teeth lightly grazing his skin. With that, he pushed her gently on the bed. Ginny landed with a soft thump and slowly lay down, looking up at him with those big, brown, innocent eyes. "You just don't know how long I've waited for—" he lay down as well and was about to settle his body on top of hers when Ginny sat up abruptly.

         "Wait, I— I forgot something," she said. "Draco, honey, where are my things?"

         "Virginia!" Draco cried with impatience, rolling over to the other side. "Come back to bed."

         "No, I— need that—thing," said Ginny, standing up. Draco finally sat up, disbelief written all over his face.

         "What thing?" he asked blandly. He looked at her for a while only to see her hair all tossed up messily and her on the verge of being "gown-less" and it brought another set of warmness within him which gathered between his legs.

         "That— girl thing," said Ginny, her voice rich with embarrassment. "You don't need to know. Where are my things?"

         "In your bedroom," he answered. When Ginny looked at him with those pleading brown eyes, he finally heaved a defeated sigh. "Fine, I'll let you get that—thing or whatever you women have or call it—" he said standing up and walking towards the wall. 

         "Thank you," said Ginny as she followed him. Then she gave a gasp of surprise when Draco deftly pushed the wall only to reveal a secret entrance leading to another chamber.

         "This is your bedroom, by the way," he said "I had my private chambers renovated with another room inside it for everybody not to suspect. Of course, that wall or door can be locked using only magic."

         "Brilliant," commented Ginny as she made her way inside her chamber. Then turning to Draco, she smiled sweetly. "I need a little privacy."

         "Whatever for? You won't need that later," he retorted.

         "Please?" she asked. "I'll be back."

         At that, Draco sighed. Women and their crazy habits… "Fine. Privacy," he said stepping out of her chamber. After a couple of minutes, Ginny came back only to make his eyes pop out of his head.

         She stood there dressed in her white, 'modest' nightgown with it's left sleeve carelessly falling off to one side only to reveal her left shoulder, her hair finally out of the clip, cascading gently to her back and shoulder. Her skin, changing to the color of honey against the faint glow of the fire. She was gazing at him with half-lidded eyes while holding something--- a bottle of some sort—

         "How do I look?" Her voice was sultry.

         "Beautiful," said Draco truthfully, immediately gathering her in his arms, his need throbbing more than ever. He had actually wanted to say that word to her a while ago. It was like seeing her for the first time and he couldn't help but feel the so-called unseen magic they say… even during the ceremony, the party! It actually surprised him really. He had never wanted someone so badly all his life! It was amazing and shocking at the same time. When he was about to kiss her, Ginny placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him a little.

         "You think I'm beautiful?" Her eyes slightly widened upon feeling something jabbed against her middle. She smiled mentally.

         "Yes."

         "Then," she said handing him the bottle she was holding, "I think that giving you this would show you my appreciation."

         Draco turned his eyes towards the bottle only to realize that it was some sort of Muggle moisturizer. Then getting her 'lewd' meaning, he turned to Ginny, his jaw dropping. "Oh come on!" he exclaimed upon seeing Ginny making her way towards her own chamber. 

         "Good luck, Draco," she quipped cheerfully. "Use it well."

         "Virginia! You—"

         "And if you ever try using dark spells to get to my chamber--"

         Draco eyed her angrily. But even if— oh the pain…

         "This is so pathetic," he murmured turning away for her not to hear. "I'm not even getting laid on my wedding night!"

         "No, you're pathetic. I'm going to bed," she said. "Good night! Seems like I scored another one!" And with that, Ginny sauntered happily to her chamber, casting a locking spell on her door. _"Seduce and conquer my foot!" she thought darkly, settling inside her room. __"I much more prefer seduce and DESTROY, thank you!"_

         "Good night," he replied sardonically. Once alone, he then slumped on his bed. Realizing that he was still holding the bottle of moisturizer in his hands, he let out a disgusted snort and threw the bottle aside. It hit his desk and then landed on the floor, creating a heavy clunk inside his still chamber.

         "Damn it!" he cursed out loud.

==========

         She let out a sigh as she felt his lips on her neck. Without thinking, she put her arms around him and pulled him closer.

_         "Oh god…" she cried out, feeling his lips slowly treading down to settle on her chest. She arched her body up against him to feel the slow but sensuous movement of his tongue around her breasts, sucking her tenderly._

_         "Please…" she begged, her hands clinging onto his hair. "Please… don't… oh my…"_

_         Then coldness, the delicious burden of his body gone._

_         She momentarily lay there, not moving, waiting…_

         Ginny snapped her eyes open, her hands on her chest. She swallowed hard and took mouthfuls of air upon feeling her heart hammering loudly against her chest. She sat up and looked around.

         She was alone.

         She looked down only to notice the buttons of her nightgown intact. Then everything was just— a dream? She frowned and brought her hands to her cheek. A dream? Just a dream?

         "But it was so real," she whispered. She really felt it, the kiss, his lips enclosing in on her breasts, how good it had felt… she felt everything, she felt him…

         _"Him!" her brain screamed. Her eyes then quickly riveted towards the 'door' separating Draco's chamber from hers. She looked at it suspiciously._

         "Why that---" she stopped. But she's all alone and she used a bunch of magic spells and charms…

         _"Hello! He knows dark magic!" her brains screamed.  But even so—she had no proof. She just couldn't go on barging inside his chamber and demand him to stop everything! That would make her look stupid. And besides, at this time right now, she didn't want to go there inside his chamber and find him lying there wearing nothing but his boxers or something. She was afraid of what it might encourage her to do. Just remembering the kisses he gave her was enough to make Ginny realize how hard it had been to resist him. It had actually taken all her will power to come up with that kind of 'control!' But it got her thinking: if Draco should try again then, good god, she would surely oblige!_

         "There's only one thing to do," she thought as she gathered her pillow, blanket and wand. Then without wasting another second, she disapparated to another room.

==========

         "I can't do it," said Draco as he lay on his bed that night. He had just been to Ginny's chamber using dark magic to unlock her door. And somehow seeing her lying there, looking so innocent and vulnerable, was really hard to bear. What made it really hard was to hear her soft cries of pleasure.

         _"It was her fault for leading you on," a tiny voice at the back of his head said. __"You almost had her there, you idiot!"_

_         "No, she's your wife and not some cheap whore you're used to screwing, Draco" his brain argued._

         He sighed and placed his hands at the back of his head, staring thoughtfully at nothing. Actually, earlier, before the wedding, it surprised him to find himself having second thoughts about the marriage. It was what he wanted in the first place, right? But a while ago, when he was getting dressed, he was actually having doubts about the marriage. He was actually thinking about what was right and what was wrong, about what would make him and Virginia happy. And the shocking realization was, the doubts were all about the marriage and not about Virginia. Since when did he think about other people other than himself? His face darkened momentarily as a name long forgotten suddenly played inside his head. _"Forget about her, Malfoy," he scolded himself. __"It was a long time ago."_

         Then he had thought about Virginia and the new life they would be starting as husband and wife. Surprisingly the thought somewhat excited him. Honestly speaking, Virginia was like a breath of fresh air, a completely different person in his life. She was a very, very different woman, a woman he couldn't even understand which was a rare thing. Actually, he had always prided himself for understanding women much better than they understood themselves. He had always known what every woman wanted to have and what every woman wanted to hear but with Virginia— He shook his head. It seemed like everything he did and said were always wrong! Somehow, he couldn't please her and it was becoming frustrating and at the same time very challenging. Well, he guessed that was it. The strong compelling force was just the challenge. Then thinking about the incident about the bottle of moisturizer a while ago made him chuckle. Since when had she learned to do that? It was funny, amazing and irritating at the same time. Indeed this marriage would be very, very interesting. He concluded. But then, he couldn't ignore the unexplainable feeling inside his chest everytime she was near and the near-to-madness-thing he felt when thinking about how and what kind of kiss she gave that Potter imbecile! 

         With that, he sat up and took his robe. He was becoming a wussy and he hated himself for that. But then, something inside of him told him that it was not right to go on and do 'it' with her even though it was clear that she had wanted it too. Her body actually begged for it. But-- hell, it was no different from rape! His brain screamed. And besides, Virginia was a woman who deserved to be treated with respect. She was a very kind and gentle girl, beautiful at that, so much different from Blaise and— he stopped. What was happening to him? Just then, an unknown force jolted inside his chest and at that moment he felt afraid, scared. 

            Draco stood up and draped his robe about him. He needed a walk. He needed to think, to sort things out. He needed a drink—anything! Anything but seeing her!  And with that, he gruffly made his way outside his chambers, slamming the door behind him.

End of Part IX 


	10. The Portrait On The Wall

Author's Notes: Hi everybody! Here's part 10! Special thanks to Alli-chan and Fred... oh and Tuva, I'm so sorry but something went wrong with my server when I was about to send this to you... anyway, I'll dedicate this chapter to you as my peace offering, awright? Enjoy! 

****

Serpent's Bride X: The Portrait On The Wall

__

No speech though kind has it, but kinder silence doles,

Unto its mates, by night consoles, 

By day congratulates…

- Henry David Thoreau

Ginny forced her eyes open upon hearing the happy chirping of the birds signaling the start of another new day. Slowly, she sat up, her fingers lightly scratching her head. She squinted as bright sunlight immediately filled the massive chamber. Pain immediately drilled into her eyes. 

Then she swore.

"Hammilton," she groaned, slumping once again on the bed of her 'borrowed' chamber, her right arm immediately covering her face, particularly her eyes. Instantly, the ghost valet of Draco floated down from the ceiling.

"You called, madam?" it inquired in its usual dead, unemotional voice. 

"How many times do I have to tell you not to open the drapes?" she asked, brushing the velvet red covers of her bed aside and finally sitting up.

"I'm terribly sorry, madam, but Master Draco gave specific instructions to always wake you up before Master Malfoy finds you here in this chamber," the ghost answered as Ginny groggily got out of bed. She slipped her feet into the pair of velvet white slippers, reached for her robe and draped it over her body.

"Same old thing, I guess," she sighed as Hammilton deftly prepared her basin and warm water. "What time is it, Hammilton?" she asked as she dipped her hand into the water and began washing her face.

"Quarter past seven, Mistress," the ghost answered, handing her a towel. Ginny took it with displeasure. 

"Jesus," Ginny swore, wiping her face dry. "Don't they sleep at all?" she asked no one in particular.

"The young Master Draco, Master Malfoy and the Mistress Malfoy will be expecting you for breakfast," it answered instead. And with that, it slowly floated its transparent form away from her, passing smoothly through the wall.

"What else is new?" Ginny asked herself sarcastically as she slowly put on the light yellow dress she had prepared the night before. She was about to put on her shoes when she decided to just sit down for a while and close her eyes.

__

When will this end? She asked herself. Her head was aching, her eyes were gritty and heavy and she felt like a dozen Bludgers had hit her everywhere. Ever since that 'wedding night' mishap, Ginny would always disapparate, using this chamber somewhere in the east wing. The thing was, even though Draco's chamber was located somewhere in the other wing, Ginny still didn't trust him. As a result, she would often wake up in the middle of the night only to stay alert in case he would try to sneak in and do 'something.' Apparently, after two weeks of waking up and not getting any proper sleep at all, she had found out, again and again, morning after morning, that Draco hadn't tried to sneak up on her and she had treated herself to the worst fourteen mornings of her life. 

__

"This is getting very ridiculous," she thought as she forced her eyes open once again. She stood up and put her shoes on while her hand was busy feeling the night table for her hair clip.

__

This 'war' thing is getting very preposterous. She thought. Actually the 'wedding night' started it all. She remembered it clearly, after scoring her 'two points' that night, Draco retaliated the next morning by ordering the house elves to cook hot and spicy foods, the one thing that she hated the most. Chili peppers, spicy burritos and everything that had something to do with the words 'hot' and 'spicy' were prepared and she practically starved to death that day not to mention finished the whole water supply of the manor. 

The next day, Ginny repaid him by waking up early, way ahead of him, only to make cow brain and liver. During dinner, she herself served it, in front of Vladimir, telling everyone that she cooked it because it was her 'darling' husband's favorite. And Draco had no choice but to eat it without gagging. Ginny knew how Draco hated 'unsophisticated' food. She remembered one time when he was telling her that people who ate liver, brain and such were nothing but cannibals. He absolutely despised them. On that particular dinner night, she was treated to the most entertaining and, at the same time, most revolting night of her life, watching Draco turn green with every bite then hearing him barfing later on inside the bathroom. 

The next day, Draco kicked her cat. He hated it. 

She hid his favorite boots. 

He took away her mini vanity set and gave it to a girl servant in front of Vladimir, saying that his 'darling' wife was very good and generous. She couldn't do anything but to force out a smile while her delicate jade-handled combs, brushes and mirrors were given away. 

She shook her head. It was a never-ending and immature cycle and she readily admitted that she was getting tired of it. Surely Draco was getting tired of it too, right? After all, she was also making his married life miserable. He would surely agree to a truce. With that, Ginny then walked towards the door, wondering what this day had in store for her. She opened the door and stepped out. Just then, a sudden voice boomed at her.

"Why, Virginia! What the hell are you doing inside that chamber?"

Virginia turned around only to see the huge form of Vladimir walking towards her. Her jaw dropped. _"Uh-oh, he saw me! What should I do?" _she thought frantically. She looked at him at first, quite unsure of what to say. She thought of going back inside the chamber but that would've been pathetic.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Draco's chamber is in the other wing?" the man asked suspiciously.

Ginny took a deep breath, her nerves jumbling. _"Draco will kill me if he finds this out,"_ she thought. Or maybe, it made her wonder, what, from her things, would Draco decide to give away or ruin later when he learns of this. "W- well what- what it is—" 

"Breakfast, sir," said Fields suddenly, appearing before them via the wall. Vladimir's right hand shot up to his chest while Virginia didn't know whether to cry or to laugh with relief. For the distraction, she could kiss Fields right now!

"Good heavens, man!" boomed Vladimir, his brows crinkling with displeasure, totally forgetting that Fields was a ghost and not a 'man.' "You're going to give me a heart attack!"

"I'm sorry, sir," said Fields apologetically. "The mistress and the young master's been asking for you," it said. Then it turned its transparent head towards Virginia who was watching it warily. "And you too, young mistress," it added.

"Very well," Vladimir said as he waved his hand casually, a sign of dismissal. The ghost floated away from them. He turned to Ginny and offered his arm. "Shall we, Virginia?" he asked, his face alight with a smile.

Virginia chuckled. "All right, Grandfather," she answered. 

Vladimir nodded and steered her towards the dining hall. They walked in amiable silence, with Vladimir humming a soft cheerful tune and Ginny smiling at nothing in particular. Upon reaching the dining hall, Draco and Narcissa immediately stood up. Apparently, they were about to eat since breakfast was already laid on the table. Ginny bit her lip upon seeing Draco's eyes widening with shock and confusion. She looked down when his eyes turned angry upon seeing her arm in arm with Vladimir. 

"Good morning!" greeted Vladimir as he made his way towards his chair. After the faint choruses of good mornings, Virginia then sauntered to her seat, beside Draco while Draco immediately assisted her.

"What is the meaning of this?" he hissed against her ear as he gave Virginia a sound kiss on her cheek. "Good morning, honey," he said loudly for everybody to hear.

Ginny chuckled pleasantly at that. Then her expression turned serious. "I don't know. I just found him there, lurking about," she hissed back, not letting Draco go, acting as if she wanted one more kiss.

He gave her another one. "You're dead, you know that? Now he'll be asking for great grandchildren," he said as he took his seat. Ginny turned to him, her eyes wide. 

"So explain," said Vladimir suddenly as he tied his table napkin around his neck. He looked at Virginia sharply but not unkindly.

"Explain… what?" Virginia asked, her eyebrows raised in mock confusion. Draco rolled his eyes mentally as he decided to remain silent. Narcissa frowned in confusion and turned to Ginny as well.

"Why I saw you emerging from a bedroom located in the east wing." he said as he lightly buttered his toast. He took a bite and looked at her expectantly.

"East wing?" Narcissa asked. "From what I understand, Draco's private chambers are in the west?" she added. Then she sighed. "Am I forgetting things already?"

"Virginia?" Vladimir asked while ignoring Narcissa.

Virginia blinked her eyes fast, her heart beating at an enormously fast rate. She took a deep breath and looked at Draco whom was busy eyeing his breakfast suspiciously. He then poked his breakfast with his fork looking for some signs of brains and liver in them, obviously too preoccupied to help her. Whether he was being deliberately unhelpful or nasty, she should not care. She had to give Vladimir an acceptable answer first. She would make Draco pay later.

"Well, Draco— snores," she finally said. With that, a faint clutter rang inside the dining hall. 

Draco turned to her aghast.

Vladimir's awaiting expression cracked. 

Moments later he laughed. 

Hard.

"Excuse me?" Draco asked, looking at her with a horrified expression. 

Ginny cleared her throat and looked at Vladimir straight in the eye. "He snores. Actually, he snores so loud that I— I can't take it anymore," she continued.

"I absolutely do not snore!" Draco declared loudly. Vladimir laughed harder while Narcissa looked from Draco to Ginny, then to the laughing Vladimir with an expression that asked them: Whatever are you talking about?

"Yes, you do, honey. I'm sorry," insisted Ginny. Although she did not like telling something like that considering that she would later on propose a truce it left her no other choice. _"Well, you could always say that you became disgusted because you discovered he's gay or he couldn't get 'it' up,"_ her brain coaxed helpfully. At that thought, Ginny suppressed the giggles fighting out to get free.

"I DO NOT," Draco pressed with forced calmness.

"Oh, hush boy! You're asleep and Virginia's awake, of course she would know. And besides that's just snoring! That's not the end of—of—" Vladimir couldn't continue any longer as another round of laughter came out of his mouth. Ginny looked at Draco only to notice his eyes turning dark with fury.

"I didn't know you snored." Narcissa asked delicately as she took a bite of her toast. She chewed slowly before swallowing. "Do you snore?" she asked innocently as if nothing was amiss, as if they were discussing something about the weather or the latest piece of teacups or furniture. This flared Draco's temper even more.

Ginny frowned at this. Ghost servants, a rich crazy old man for a grandfather, an unaffected woman for a mother— no wonder Draco turned out like this! She thought. This family was certifiably and completely wackos!

"You'd better do something about that snoring problem of yours, boy!" Vladimir managed to say after his gales of laughter. "At that rate, I won't be having great grandchildren running around here," he added as he stirred his coffee.

Another faint clutter.

This time, it was Draco's turn to smile at Ginny.

Ginny's mouth dropped. She shut it immediately.

"Virginia's having trouble with having children," said Draco nonchalantly. At that, Narcissa and Vladimir stopped and looked at her as if her hair turned blue or something. 

"What do you mean?" Vladimir demanded, the laughter immediately dying. His face turned grave, his eyes narrowing. His whole expression became cold and calculating, like a businessman surveying a damaged good delivered to him.

"You're not sick are you, Virginia?" Narcissa asked worriedly

Ginny swallowed hard. "May—may—I—"

"Of course Virginia's not sick," said Draco frowning at his mother. "What I meant to say was Virginia's having trouble with having children at this time," he added. "Of course, she told me that she would rather take care of me first before taking care of our would-be babies."

"Oh," Vladimir and Narcissa said at the same time, relieved. Vladimir then turned his attentions back to his coffee while Narcissa deftly buttered another of her toast.

"May I be excused?" Virginia asked suddenly, standing up. 

"Of course, Virginia," said Vladimir without looking up.

"Whatever for?" Narcissa asked without thinking and looking at her.

Ginny turned to her and said without thinking, "To freak out." And with that, she turned around and made her way out of the dining hall. Upon seeing this, Draco's face went from smug to that of confusion and irritation. He excused himself as well and immediately followed her. 

"Now what was that all about?" Narcissa asked.

Vladimir momentarily looked up at his grandson's departing form before taking a sip of his coffee. _"Damn it all! I swear I could've earned millions selling tickets to this show!"_ he thought with raw amusement.

==========

"Virginia!"

"Buzz off!"

Draco shook his head and ran after her. She was already near the manor's front entrance when he suddenly yanked her arm, forcing her to stop. Virginia let out a cry of pain as she wrenched her arm free from his grasp. Draco immediately let go.

"Don't you touch me," said Ginny as she slowly massaged her right arm. 

Draco's face softened upon seeing the hurt expression on her face. "You should've stopped when I called you," he said softly, his voice apologetic. 

"Now it's my fault?" Ginny spat acidly.

At that, Draco took a deep breath and turned away from her. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

"What did you say?" Ginny asked, looking at him.

"I'm sorry," he said again, a little louder.

"What?"

"I said 'I'M SORRY'!" Draco almost yelled.

Ginny frowned. "Is that how you say sorry?" she asked with malice. "You were yelling at me."

"You're deaf," answered Draco back.

"I am not deaf," said Ginny loudly. "Why is it hard for you to say sorry? To admit that it's your fault? To admit that you make mistakes?" she nearly yelled.

"That is not the subject at hand, Virginia," said Draco stiffly. Ginny eyed him sharply and decided to say nothing. Draco looked at her sternly. "What you said back there was very, very impolite and inappropriate," he finally said, shaking his head with displeasure.

"I admit it was but I'm not sorry about it," said Ginny viciously. 

"I'm not expecting you to be sorry, you know," said Draco neutrally. "But please, next time you decide to say some hurtful words, better say it when we're alone or say it anywhere but in the dining hall having a meal."

Ginny's face softened a little. She looked at him first, then sighed. "It doesn't bother you one bit?" she asked doubtfully.

"Well, I'm used to it really," he replied. "Let's see," he paused and looked up to think, his finger against his chin, "Ah yes… you've been saying those bad things for about two months of our pre-wedding days and two weeks now, as husband and wife," he finished. He brought his eyes to her and after staring at her face for quite some time and noting Ginny's widening brown eyes, he finally let out a smile.

Ginny then frowned thoughtfully. "Well, I'm used to it too, I guess," she said slowly. "You've been a miserable prat for the past two months so I guess that makes us even." Then she tossed her hands up. "Does it bore you, I mean?" she asked exasperatedly.

"Well depends on what you mean about boring," replied Draco truthfully. _"I can hardly call you boring at all, Virginia,"_ he thought. _"There's so much to learn about you."_

Silence.

Ginny looked at him and bit her lip. Draco raised one eyebrow up at her. Then he smiled knowingly. "Say it," he finally said.

She frowned, "What?"

"Say it. Whatever it is," he said again confidently. "I promise I won't laugh and I promise I will agree to it."

"How did you know that I was about to ask you for something?" she asked.

"Your eyes tell it all," he said with a shake of his head. "And besides, this is actually the first time we had a 'normal' conversation with you initiating it," he added. Actually, Draco was hoping that Virginia would call for a truce. The past two weeks, he had to admit, was crazy. Crazier compared to those years when his father was still alive. Until now, Draco hadn't realized that there was somebody who could drive him insane other than his father and his grandfather.

Just then, Ginny's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why don't you call for 'it' first?" she asked shrewdly, obviously reading Draco's mind.

"Why should I?" Draco spat back. "You started this whole mess in the first place by inviting Grandfather to stay here for a month!"

"I did not start it!" Ginny cried indignantly. She placed her hands on her hips and raised her chin defiantly. "You say it!"

"No, you say it!" Draco said, his voice stone cold. When Ginny shook her head. Draco finally threw his hands up in the air. "I can't believe I'm acting so immature about this! And for the past two weeks!" he said aloud, pacing back and forth before her. He stopped and turned to her. Upon noting the still determined look on her face, he finally gave a defeated sigh. 

"Truce, okay?" he said finally. "There! I said it! Happy now?"

At that, a sweet smile finally replaced the stern look on Ginny's face. Upon seeing it, Draco felt that it was worth asking for a truce first. Until that moment, he never realized the truth about the things people said about the power of a woman's smile. He looked away from her and raked his fingers against his hair, sighing tiredly. He then felt a soft hand resting on his right arm. 

"I'm sorry I made you eat cow brains and livers," said Ginny softly.

"I didn't mean to kick your cat," said Draco turning to face her. "And giving your— brushes away."

Ginny smiled softly while Draco took a deep breath. "And about having children, you don't have to worry. I'm sure Grandfather won't live to see the day of our—uh—divorce." Somehow, he couldn't get the word 'divorce' out. He realized that whether he liked it or not, he was sure that he would miss this woman after this marriage.

This made her frown, partly from confusion because of the slight pain those words brought her and partly because of confusion about Vladimir. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"He's dying," answered Draco quietly.

"He— he can't be—" Ginny shook her head with disbelief. "No, he can't be dying. He looks so young and so strong. That's— that's—" 

"He's half-vampire, Virginia," Draco cut in.

"So?"

"He hasn't tasted human blood since god-knows-when," continued Draco, rolling his eyes. "That is food for his kind. His soul will deteriorate as well as his mortal body without it."

"Then why— doesn't he—"

"I don't know why he refused to take in human blood," Draco said suddenly. "He just—stopped. I'm not really sure why."

"So— he'll die?"

"Yes."

At that, Ginny couldn't help but feel sad and angry at the same time. Sad because, although Vladimir had this weird tendency to bite people's head off with his not-so-polite remarks, he was always nice to her. He was always the perfect gentleman when it came to the ladies. He had been like the Grandfather she never had. And then she felt angry with herself because of the awful charade they were playing, robbing Vladimir of his hard-earned fortune.

"Look, I meant what I said back there," said Draco after a moment, purposely dropping the conversation about his grandfather. She turned to him. "Let's just spend the rest of this marriage as peacefully as possible, all right? God knows I'm getting tired of getting back at you and being repaid nastily in return."

Ginny stared at him for a while then she let out a smile. "All right," she said, offering her hand. "Truce?"

Draco nodded. "Truce." he said, shaking it. After a moment, he let go of her hand. A momentary silence filled the hall as Ginny looked at Draco, waiting for him to say something. Draco's eyes in turn traveled upwards, he let out soft whistle, his eyes scanning the ceiling for nothing in particular. Then it struck her! She had actually made friends with Draco Malfoy! They had actually, for the first time, agreed to one thing! For the first time, they had actually had a normal conversation as husband and wife! And that was really— that was totally…! She swallowed her laughter. She was willing to bet that if Ron found out about this, he would chop off Draco's head with an axe first then chain her inside her room for all eternity. 

"So— what do we do now?" she asked quite awkwardly. She just was not used to having these kind of moments with him. It was both uncomfortable and surprising at the same time. 

Draco turned to her, giving her a lopsided grin. "Well, maybe I could give you a decent kiss or something?" he asked without a trace of embarrassment. Suddenly, he winked at her.

"Is there such a thing as a decent kiss with Draco Malfoy?" Ginny asked doubtfully but nevertheless chuckled. Draco's eyes narrowed. He then made his way towards her slowly. Ginny shook her head and backed away a little. "You're just too sure of yourself, aren't you?" she asked.

"What Draco wants, Draco gets," he drawled, getting closer.

"Oh, I wouldn't exactly say that," answered Ginny. "I'm a living proof of that."

"Maybe," he said as his hands finally caught her arm. He gently pulled the unresisting Ginny to him till he could feel the gentle rising and falling of her body against his.

They stared at each other at first. Ginny let her eyes momentarily roam around his face before settling back to his eyes while Draco looked straight at her eyes. Then he felt it! He felt it again! That unexplainable jolt inside his chest! _"What was that all about?"_ he found himself asking. It was warm and terrifying at the same time. And now looking straight at her, seeing his face reflected in her eyes, made him want to run away and stay at the same time. He slowly let his head down, his fingers settling under her chin to lift her face up to his. Then he stopped. He wanted to kiss her so badly but so afraid of what that kiss would do to him. He was so sure that that kiss would change his life forever and right now, he wasn't ready for it. He just couldn't--

"Draco, honey, is Ginny there?" Narcissa asked, suddenly emerging from the dining hall. Upon hearing her voice, Ginny and Draco reluctantly let go of each other, the momentary spell broken. Draco felt relief and disappointment at the same time as he cleared his throat noisily.

Narcissa looked at the two before her and noted Ginny's flushed cheeks and Draco's unusual silence. Realizing everything she gave a soft gasp. "Oh my, I didn't disturb you, did I?" she asked.

"No, mother," replied Draco, giving her a reassuring smile. 

"Of— of course not," Ginny seconded, shaking her head.

"Oh, okay," the other woman said with relief. She flashed a dazzling smile towards Ginny's direction. "I want you to be ready in a few minutes, Ginny. We're going out," she said.

Ginny frowned. "Out? Where to?" she asked.

Narcissa looked at her as if she had just decided to wear a rice sack for a ball and insisting that it was fine. "Are you forgetting that it's two weeks away from Christmas?" she asked.

"Um, no," said Ginny.

"Mother always does her Christmas shopping at this time," said Draco while taking his pocket watch out and looking at it. "Which reminds me," he stopped and turned to his mother, "I'll be coming with you. I have some business to take care of."

"All right, honey," replied Narcissa. Then she chuckled while looking at Ginny's. "It's so good to have a good-looking man with us for a change. Your Grandfather much preferred to stay here where it is warm and dark."

"Very well," said Draco cordially, finally putting his watch inside his pocket. "I'll see to the carriages." And with that, he leaned towards Ginny and gave her the most unusual parting kiss she had. He kissed her lightly on her neck and immediately went off, leaving her staring at him in bewilderment and unhidden pleasure.

"I hope you don't mind if we use the carriages, dear," said Narcissa suddenly as she hooked her arm with Ginny's and began leading her towards the grand staircase. "I know you young people are used to flying your brooms and apparating here and there but I'm not much of flier even when I was younger and I'm terribly afraid of apparating," she paused and took another breath. "That's why Draco would always have the carriages ready whenever I go out. I'm sure glad he doesn't mind the slow travel." she continued as they climbed the stairs leisurely. 

"Of course not," said Ginny. It made Narcissa smile.

Upon reaching Narcissa's chamber, she lightly let go of Ginny's arm. She was about to enter her room when she suddenly remembered something. She turned to Ginny and frowned slightly. "Don't you work in the Muggle world, dear?" she asked.

"Yes," said Ginny, nodding.

"Well, surely you didn't quit your job just because of this marriage, right?" asked Narcissa hopefully. "I would surely hate to see that."

This made Ginny smile. She shook her head. "No, no, I didn't quit my job. And Draco too, was most unwilling. I'm just on break, with the Christmas Holiday and New Year's— I'll be back, however, late January, at the start of classes," she replied. Well, it was partly true. She thought. Although Draco didn't particularly ask her to quit her job, he didn't also ask her to go on. All in all, it brought her to the sudden conclusion that Draco didn't care with what she chose to do, which was both good and bad at the same time. Good because she was not really used to the idea of someone telling her what to do. Bad because of the thought that Draco simply didn't care about her in any way. 

"That's good to hear," said Narcissa. "I firmly believe that a woman must not quit living her life just because she's married." Then she let out a bittersweet smile. "Don't be like me, Virginia. That would be the biggest mistake you'd be making if you let Draco take total control of your life," she said softly but firmly.

"I assure you, you don't have anything to worry about," said Ginny, smiling softly, "Mother," she finally concluded. At that, Narcissa smiled with pleasure and gave her a kiss fondly on the cheek. 

"Well, off you go," she said as she opened her door. "I'll meet you in the stables."

"Yes," replied Ginny. When Narcissa disappeared inside her chamber, Ginny turned around and made her way quickly towards the east wing, towards her chamber, keeping out a sharp eye for Vladimir. Finally, after the brisk walk that seemed to take forever, she reached her chamber door. She was about to open it when she felt something peculiar. She stopped and turned towards the narrow hallway to her right, the hallway where she saw Vladimir early that morning. Then forgetting about going inside her room, she slowly made her way to the darkened hall.

The hall, she noticed, became dimmer and gloomier with every step. She cautiously looked around only to see rows and rows of huge doors lining each side of the narrow corridor with portraits hung in between each entranceway. Ginny swallowed hard upon feeling the moving eyes of the portraits following her. She noticed that they were just interested in watching her since they made no effort to talk or to say something. A cold chill ran down Ginny's spine upon seeing one of the portraits, with the palest skin, bare its fangs at her. It was beyond doubt that every portrait was a member of the Malfoy ancestry since everyone had the Malfoy eyes, sharp and piercing. Most of them were blonde and the vampire blood ran strongly in every face. There were women too, sophisticated and beautiful but most were men. _"I would look terribly out of place here,_ she thought as she saw one woman with black hair, deep blue eyes and red pouty lips. She had a beauty mark on the left side of her chin and she was looking straight at her as if she was a child. Ginny noticed her prominent cheekbones and her generous bosom practically oozing out of the tight bodice she had on. She couldn't help but notice the unusual attractiveness each portrait had. Somehow, they had the same good-bad kind of thing Draco had, men and women alike. Now Ginny fully understood where Draco got everything. 

She continued on her way, delving deeper into the east wing, feeling the cold damp air against her skin. Noting the darkening hallway, she took her wand out and deftly flicked it, whispering a faint '_Lumos'_. Instantly, light emerged at the tip of her wand. Just then a cry of surprise nearly made Ginny's heart stop. Shaking with unknown fear, she cautiously pointed the tip of her wand forwards, expecting something dreadful to come out and eat her alive. _"What have I gotten myself into?" _she asked herself. _"Stupid, stupid! Didn't you know that curiosity killed the cat!"_ her brain scolded. Ginny turned around and prepared herself to run when a sudden, gentle voice rang inside the empty hall.

"Good heavens! Might that be you, Virginia?"

Ginny stood there, frozen. Lips and hands trembling, she positioned her wand above her head only to see a dead end wall and a portrait hanging on it. Then her fear subsided a little upon noting the mild expression on the man's face. She stared at him momentarily and noticed the fine blonde hair on his head, so blonde that they were like Christmas tinsels. He had sparkling silver eyes with an aristocratic nose to go with it. Although he had an arrogant chin, Ginny didn't miss the shadow of a grin that once grazed his lips. Judging from the frilly collars of his white shirt and his long red coat, she surmised that this person lived through the 18th century. She frowned. The portrait strongly reminded her of Draco but there was something different, something missing. Ginny cleared her throat softly.

"I'm sorry to intrude your—uh—silence or whatever. I just got lost and—and— I'll go now and I won't--"

The portrait frowned. Then to Ginny's absolute surprise, he smiled. "Are you afraid of me?" it asked. Ginny didn't miss the tone of amusement in his voice.

"Why, no of course not," she forced herself to say. Then she frowned. "Why should I? After all, you're just a painting. You cannot move," she added.

"Now that was very good to hear," he said with mild sarcasm. Ginny had to stifle a laughter upon noting how exactly he sounded like Draco. Then the painting stared at her for a long time that made Ginny wonder if had died. When it still decided not to say something, she shrugged and was about to turn around when the portrait suddenly spoke, "So now I see who's been giving young Draco sleepless nights."

With that, Ginny's eyes widened. "I— I beg your pardon?"

"You must be Virginia." he surmised. "Ginny, he would often say, that is."

A reluctant smile curled Ginny's lips. "Who are you?" she asked softly. 

"I'm Ed—er—Fredrick, Madam," the portrait replied in its most gallant voice. "Captain Frederick Butler Charlesworth III at your service."

Ginny let out a soft chuckle. "A pleasure Captain Charlesworth," she replied. "I'm Virginia Wea—uh—Malfoy. Virginia Malfoy."

"I know," Fredrick answered in an almost misty voice that made Ginny frown slightly. 

"So, Fredric— may I call you Fredrick? Ginny started.

"Of course Madam," it said. "Whatever will please the lady."

"All right then. Fredrick, why is it that you're all alone here?" she asked. "I've noticed that you look very much like my husband but— are you sure you're not related to him?" she asked, noting the portrait's last name.

"I assure you, Madam, that the young Master isn't related to me. Whatever of my looks he may have is just pure coincidence," replied Fredrick. Ginny, for a moment there, had a little trouble talking to an immobile thing, let alone a still portrait whose mouth and eyes moved. "I was placed here for a purpose, young Mistress."

"Purpose? Like as a guarding of something?" Ginny asked, remembering the portrait of the Fat Lady back at Hogwarts. 

"You could say that," Fredrick replied. "The wall behind me isn't exactly just a wall, young Mistress," it added mysteriously.

Ginny's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "So it must be a secret room, am I right?" she asked, her curiosity growing with every minute.

"Behind me is the young Master's secret quarters," said the portrait.

"Draco's secret quarters?" Ginny echoed thoughtfully. "Whatever do you mean by secret quarters?" she asked. Then it made her wonder. Was that the room where Draco often hid his mistresses? Such a thought sent her blood boiling, her desire to get into that room becoming stronger than ever.

"This is where young Draco keeps all his important things," said Fredrick. "At least those important to him. Things which are only meant for his eyes."

__

"I'm willing to bet they are," she thought, gritting her teeth. "You wouldn't let me in that room, would you Fredrick?" she asked sweetly.

This time, Frederick's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why should I?" he asked. Then he smiled. "Well, I may if you give me one good answer as to why I should let you enter," he added.

"I'm his wife," said Ginny flatly. 

"And so what if you're his wife?" Fredrick asked delicately. "Even his mother didn't know about his secret chamber. So why should I let you?"

At that, Ginny gave a defeated sigh. "Oh forget it," she said tiredly. She let out a weak smile. "I'm sure whatever Draco has in there is really very important to him, maybe some part of him he isn't ready to share with anyone else," she murmured. "And besides, I respect his privacy."

"But you do want to see, right?" the painting said knowingly.

"Yes, I do," she said truthfully.

"Why?"

"Because— because I want— to understand him. To know the real him and somehow, I have this strong feeling that I will find all the answers inside there, you know." Then Ginny shook her head and laughed softly. "Oh look at me, babbling nonsense again. You know, I should just—" Just then, Ginny stopped. Her eyes widened upon seeing the portrait swinging open, its rusted hinges making loud creaking noises inside the empty hall. For a moment, Ginny stood there as if her feet were glued to the floor. Then gripping her wand tightly, she made her way inside the room cautiously, her wand ready for attack. Who knows, what if the important thing that painting was referring to was a three-headed monster. After all Draco was a Malfoy and everything beyond normal was indeed one of a Malfoy's doing.

Ginny stepped inside the room and instantly, light poured out from the lamps. Her eyes roamed around only to see mountains of books on one desk at the center and a dozen paintings neatly stacked on the other side of the room. There was a comfortable looking couch built for two just before the fire. On the other wall were glass cabinets containing a collection of expensive wines and champagne and delicate wine glasses. Even with the smallness of the room, it was well kept. It had a warm and earthy ambiance to it. 

She made her way towards the paintings, her fingers carefully lifting one after the other. There were pieces by Picasso, several by Vincent van Gogh, some by Salvador Dali and many more. Ginny's eyes widened in disbelief! Draco's passion included paintings? Muggle paintings at that? She then let her eyes travel towards the desk full of books. She made her way towards them to find several books about history and mythology, William Shakespeare… _It seems like Draco is a big fan of the arts._ She thought examining one book. She was about to go back to the paintings when she noticed something sticking out of the thick volume just in front of her. Frowning, she carefully lifted the book to reveal a dusty velvet box. She picked it up and slowly flipped it's top open to find a single gold chain inside with an oval locket hanging from it.

"It's beautiful," Ginny said as she carefully opened the locket. Inside was a picture of a young girl with long black hair and the most expressive violet eyes she had ever seen. She stared at it for a while before closing and turning it only to see the inscription at the back.

_Bianca Anne Fairfax_

"Bianca Anne Fairfax?" Ginny asked herself, opening the locket once again. She stared at the girl which, she was sure, wasn't any older than nine or ten. Who was the girl and what was she doing inside Draco's secret quarters? Was she someone important to Draco? Was she one of his mistresses? If she was, then why would Draco even think of keeping a photo of her taken when she was just a mere child? It didn't make any sense at all!

"I believe the Mistress is calling for you, Virginia," Fredrick suddenly called out, shattering her thoughts. With that, Ginny decided to keep the gold chain, wounding it around her neck and placing the locket beneath her dress. Then running towards the exit, Ginny carefully stepped out as the portrait's hinges came creaking once again. "I believe I'll see more of you young Virginia," Fredrick finally said, taking his usual place against the wall, blocking the secret chamber from her view.

"I'll be back," said Ginny as she hurriedly made her way towards her chamber, unmindful of the unfriendly faces looming over her.

==========

"Oh that was a very tiring day!" exclaimed Narcissa as they settled themselves comfortably on the couch. Draco's mother then went about her shopping bags while Ginny slumped tiredly against her soft leather seat, her olive green coat carelessly around her body. She let out a sigh as she looked out the carriage window to gaze at the setting sun. Moments later, the carriage began to move.

She had never expected that going shopping with Narcissa would be quite a nightmare. The older woman dragged her practically everywhere! First, they went to her seamstress, then to _Madam Malkin's_ to purchase several dress robes, and gowns. Then it was off to the cloth shop were they purchased rolls and rolls of mouthwatering silk and satin for their new gowns. After that, they went for shoes, then for accessories, jewelry— she could go on! Actually, Ginny had lost track of how many Galleons they spent that day and for that matter she couldn't really blame Draco for thinking that women were just good when it came to spending money, nothing more, nothing less. Although most of the things Narcissa bought was for her, (seems like the woman enjoyed spending money for her) she found it touching and a little bit irritating at the same time, because when Narcissa shopped, it wasn't just 'shopping,'. It included fussing here and there and letting Ginny try on several different pairs of shoes and gowns till she couldn't stand it anymore!

"Virginia, would you like to come with me?" Narcissa asked suddenly. Ginny looked up and was surprised to realize that they had already stopped. She turned to Narcissa and raised her eyebrows.

"Where to?" she asked.

"Oh, just to _Flourish and Blotts_," answered Narcissa while preparing to climb down. She opened the door and let one booted foot out. "Father gave me a list of books he wanted. Seems like _Flourish and Blotts_ has new releases."

Ginny then smiled. At last, they could go for real 'shopping.' She thought. She had always been a big fan of books. "All right," she said. With that, Narcissa nodded and stepped down from the carriage with Ginny behind her.

"Ah, good afternoon Mrs. Malfoy!" the shopkeeper named Mr. Gardner greeted as they entered the shop. When the man laid his eyes on Ginny, he smiled fondly. "I see the young Mrs. Malfoy's here again," he said.

Ginny chuckled. "Oh you know I always visit your shop first, even when I was still going at Hogwarts," she said.

Mr. Gardner nodded. "Yes, yes indeed," he replied.

"I have here a list of books my father wants to buy," said Narcissa delicately while handing the parchment to the man. He, in turn, took the paper and put his glasses on. "Er, why don't you look around first, Virginia? You can read for free if you want," he added.

"You know I always do that," said Ginny, giggling. She then proceeded to the first shelf full of books labeled "New Releases" and began inspecting them.

__

New Spells for the New Millennium byMiranda Goshawk and Amanda Portman

__

Hogwarts: A History, 9th Edition by Hermione Granger-Weasley.

Ginny's eyebrows raised up a notch when she saw this. So Hermione did eventually venture out to writing. She thought.

__

Advanced Transfiguration, 10th Edition by Minerva McGonagall

__

Understanding Muggles and How to Live With Them by Arthur Weasley

Ginny smiled at this and without thinking she took the book from the shelf with the intention of buying it. Her father didn't exactly tell her that his new book was already out. Then going back, she deftly took another thick volume, Hermione's book to be exact, and went straight to the counter.

"Ah, I see you've found two to your liking?" Mr. Gardner said noting the two thick volumes against Ginny's chest. He then carefully placed Narcissa's pile of books in a shopping bag then took Ginny's own purchases.

"Actually, it's more like a family thing," said Ginny as she fished in her coat pocket for her purse. "I'd really hate it when my father and my sister-in-law see my book collection without theirs in it. I would never hear the end of it," she finished chuckling.

"Understanding Muggles and How to Live With Them?" Narcissa asked wonderingly, her eyes scanning the leather bound book before her. 

Mr. Gardner nodded. "Quite a piece, if you ask me Mrs. Malfoy," he said. "Truly one of its kind. Glad that someone of our kind took great and REAL interest in writing about the non-magical community for once and actually adding guides to live with them. It's quite important, you see, since most of us live and interact with them." Then he turned to Ginny. "That'll be 168 Galleons, all in all."

"A hundred and sixty-eight it is," said Ginny while busily counting several gold Galleons. Somehow, it was much easier spending money now compared to before. Oh, well, she thought. It was just as Draco said, the benefit of being a Malfoy. But then again, part of this was from her earnings actually. She didn't marry Draco for nothing, did she?

Mr. Gardner accepted the gold coins Ginny handed him with a smile. "Thank you, my dear. Do enjoy the books!"

"I will! Thanks!" Ginny answered back, taking her purchases with her.

Narcissa smiled. "Thank you," she said amiably as they made their way outside the shop. 

Once outside, Ginny turned around only to see Draco emerging from-- Knockturn Alley? She frowned and turned to Narcissa who was busy handing her new purchases to the coach driver. Apparently, Narcissa didn't notice that her son was already making his way towards them.

"Had lovely time shopping?" he asked lightly. He then planted a kiss on Ginny's lips as if it was the normal thing to do.

"Oh yes," said her mother. 

"Yes," said Ginny thoughtfully. Was Narcissa aware that his son was a regular in Knockturn Alley just like Lucius? She turned to Draco and was about to ask him as to what he had been doing there when a sudden whoosh of cold air swept past her. She momentarily closed her eyes and shivered. Just then she saw nothing… blackness… then blurry images materializing before her…

__

A young boy's cry…

"No! Father, please don't!"

"Get out of the way, boy!"

"Father--!"

"Don't make me hurt you again!"

Then a flash of bright green light…

A terrified scream…

A young girl dead…

"Virginia?"

Virginia blinked and looked around her. _"What was that?"_ she asked herself upon seeing the normal crowd of bustling people, busy with their own Christmas shopping. Her eyes then riveted towards the shop and was surprised to see the sign _Flourish and Blotts_ hanging there clearly. She swallowed hard, her heart beating fast against her chest. _"Was it a dream? Who were they?"_

"Virginia!"

Ginny turned towards the voice only to see Draco peering at her with confusion and obvious concern. "Did you see that?" she asked as she frantically looked around.

"Saw what?" Draco asked frowning.

Ginny turned to him, surprised. "You didn't see it?"

"What?" he repeated this time impatiently.

__

"Was I the only one who saw it? she asked herself upon noting Draco's confusion and Narcissa's bafflement. She then shook her head. "No, it's nothing," she finally replied.

"Are you all right, Virginia?" Narcissa asked, her hand immediately feeling her forehead. "Seems like you're dizzy."

"Yes, I'm fine," answered Ginny faintly. "Just— a little tired, I guess."

"Then you must rest and wait for us in the carriage," said Narcissa quite jovially, obviously thinking that Ginny's actual 'dizziness' was a sign of pregnancy. "I have one more errand to go to and would've asked you to join me but—"

"Come on," said Draco as he gently took her arm and led her towards the carriage with Narcissa following close behind, fussing about them. Ginny tried her best not to wobble because in fact, she felt suddenly weak, drained. 

Upon reaching the coach, Draco opened the door, lifted her up easily and settled her inside. "I'm going to Gringgots for a while to deposit something in your vault but I'll be back. Are you sure you'll be fine?" he asked, his face emotionless against the darkening sky. When Ginny nodded, Draco then stepped down from the couch and closed the door behind him softly.

Once alone, Ginny closed her eyes. Her hands immediately flew to her chest only to feel the cold locket against her fingers. Almost immediately, another set of cold winds blew against her…

__

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Bianca!

Long black hair… a pair of violet eyes staring at her blankly… lifeless…

A cruel laugh…

"No weaknesses, boy!"

Silence.

Then a slap. 

The boy's blonde head threw backwards, blood on his lips

"I said no weaknesses, do you understand?"

Silence.

Another slap. 

"Answer me, boy!"

"Yes, father."

Just then Ginny felt the unusual movement of the carriage wheels below her. Then her brain finally focusing, she heard the shouts of people about her. She looked out curiously and gave a startled cry when she saw the dark river below her, the carriage hanging helplessly onto the bridge, its two back wheels rolling in mid-air! She let out another terrified scream as the carriage swung backwards, the stone holding the two wheels giving in a little as rocks fell into the murky waters below them. She looked out only to see no horses at the front. No driver.

"Virginia!" Draco yelled as he saw the carriage helplessly dangling onto the bridge. "Virginia!"

Ginny heard him. "Draco!" she shouted, moving towards the other window. Due to that, the carriage gave another swing. She screamed.

Draco gritted his teeth. "Virginia! Don't move!" he yelled as he fought his way through the thick crowds of people milling about frantically. "Get your wand out! Your wand, Virginia!"

At that, Virginia frantically searched her pocket for her wand. Just then she felt the rocks beneath her loosening making the carriage tilt to one side. She gave a scream of terror as the door swung open, the shopping bags falling one by one. 

"Draco!" she cried, both of her hands enclosing in on the other window opening, holding for dear life, the wand already forgotten.

"Just hang on!" she heard him yell. "_Wingardium_---"

Just then, her grip loosened and with one last terrified scream, she fell and plunged into the deep cold waters, the huge carriage going after her.

==========

"Sabotaged?"

Ginny frowned upon hearing Draco's loud voice. She forced her eyes open only to find herself on his bed, feeling all warm and good and Draco pacing back and forth, talking to their stable caretaker. Vladimir and Narcissa sat there, side by side, not saying anything. _"So I fell into the water,"_ she thought. She then closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

"Apparently someone tampered with the carriages, sir," the caretaker answered timidly.

"Who would even think of sabotaging Virginia? It doesn't make any sense at all," said Narcissa suddenly as Draco slumped tiredly on the couch facing the fire. "It was probably the carriage. They're old anyway and—"

"It was tampered with," said Vladimir quietly. Narcissa immediately stopped and turned to him. "I checked the damages and saw the wooden beams connecting the horses to the carriage sawed. Deep enough to cause an accident but not so deep as to be noticed at first glance."

"The driver said that somebody set the horses running loose, probably threw a rock or something and before he knew it, the first beam snapped in half. He tried calming the horses but everything was uncontrollable," the caretaker said his eyes not leaving Draco's face. "Finally, they slammed against the stone railings of the bridge while the other beam broke, freeing the horses and he together with them."

"So magic wasn't used," surmised Draco thoughtfully.

"It was just an accident as simple as that," said Narcissa. 

Draco turned to her, unconvinced, while Vladimir went about asking the caretaker further questions. Then he turned to them and said something about talking to the driver personally and went away with the stable man.

"I don't see why anybody would want to sabotage Virginia," she said tiredly. "She's a good girl and I don't think she has enemies—" She stopped as a soft mew echoed inside the room. Narcissa looked down to see Ginny's cat emerging from under the bed. She bent down and gently picked it up. She stroked it lightly. "Look, Virginia needs rest and I think you do too. I'll be going to my chambers for a while, all right?"

When Draco nodded, Narcissa silently made her way outside the room taking the cat with her. Once alone, Draco sighed tiredly and brought his fingers to his temple. After several minutes of enervated silence, he looked up and turned to Ginny's 'sleeping' form.

He stared at her for a while before heaving up the covers to her chin. "Rest," was all he said before turning around and exiting the chamber. 

Upon feeling Draco already gone, Ginny's eyes immediately snapped open. Then remembering the visions, she leapt out of bed, grabbed her robe and silently made her way towards the east wing. She had an idea where Draco was heading at a time like this. Actually, she was just waiting for the perfect time so that she could inquire him about the locket she found in his 'other' chamber.

Just then, she stopped upon reaching the portrait. "Fredrick," she hissed.

"Of course, Madam," it said and it immediately swung open. Ginny thanked him softly and made her way inside to find Draco's back to her, sitting on the couch before the fire, a glass of wine in his hand. 

"How did you find this?" he asked not turning to look at her. The chamber 'door' shut immediately.

"Who's Bianca Fairfax?"

At that, Draco turned to her. "How do you know about her?" he asked, his eyes narrowing angrily upon hearing the name after fourteen years, a name long ago forgotten.

"Who's Bianca Fairfax?" Ginny asked again, this time firmly.

"How do you know about her?" Draco almost yelled.

As her reply, Ginny walked towards him and dropped a locket on his lap. Draco's eyes widened upon seeing the familiar gold chain lying there, contrasting with the black color of his trousers. 

"Who's Bianca Fairfax?" Ginny asked yet again.

At that, Draco took the locket and threw it aside. "It's none of your business!" he growled angrily, standing up and walking away from her.

"It is too my business!" she answered back. "For the last time, who's Bianca Fairfax and what does she have to do with you?" she cried walking towards him.

"Why should I tell you?" snarled Draco, his eyes turning cold and cruel.

Ginny's lower lip trembled. "I'm— I'm having visions. I'm seeing things," she replied, her body shaking with unknown fear. "I— saw her dead… I— I saw you…"

Draco's eyes widened. He turned to her aghast. "You saw me?" he said.

"Y- yes," she said as she tightened her robe about her. "At first I felt cold wind then I heard screams, then I saw you and— and— a girl, the one in the locket…" she brought her hands to her face. "It was horrible, your father—your---"

"Now you know everything," he said suddenly, his voice stone cold. He turned away from her and drowned the last contents of his glass. "Get out."

Ginny looked up. "No," she said firmly. "You will tell me all about her and you will tell me everything now!" she almost shouted.

"Fine!" Draco shouted back, facing her, his face with cold fury. "You want to know everything? You want to know how my father killed the only friend I had? You want to know how my father sent that horrifying green light against her body, taking the life of the girl I cared for so much—"

"Draco, I—"

"You want to know how she screamed for help, begged for her life? Is that it!" Draco yelled at her face. Ginny took a deep breath.

"Draco, please—"

"You want to know how I felt seeing, with my own eyes the only important person in my life lying there, lifeless?"

"Draco, stop it!" Ginny yelled.

At that, Draco stopped and stared at her, his gray eyes turning blank. Then without a word, he slumped himself on the couch, his body trembling. Ginny immediately went to him and wounded her arms around him.

"Don't touch me," he whispered but not making an effort to squirm out of her arms. "Don't you touch me. I don't need your pity."

"I'm sorry, Draco," said Ginny softly, not letting him go.

"I lost her," he said, his voice shaking with remorse and pain at the same time. "I just— I just stood there and did nothing. I saw her— I saw her…"

"Shh… that's enough now," said Ginny soothingly while she lightly stroked Draco's hair as her heart went out to him. Now she fully understood why Draco was the person he was. He was afraid to get close to someone for fear of losing them. He wouldn't stand the pain the second time around. Somehow, seeing him like this hurt her. He looked so vulnerable and so fragile. She closed her eyes and lightly kissed his hair, desperately wanting to take away his pain, wanting it to go away. 

"She died because I did nothing," said Draco. "I did fucking nothing, do you hear!" he suddenly screamed.

__

"It's all in the past, Draco," she said, finally letting go of him. Surprisingly, she didn't see a single tear in his eyes but he was trembling violently, the rage slowly closing in on him. "The past should— the past should make who you are and— and not burden you in anyway," she added softly.

__

"The past repeats itself," he thought darkly remembering how terrified he had been earlier. When it was Bianca, he did nothing to protect her and then it was Virginia and again he stood there, doing nothing. He looked at her, desperately wanting to ask for her forgiveness, desperately wanting to tell her how afraid he had been for her, how worried, but nothing came out of his lips. Until that incident, he never really did realize how much Virginia had meant to him. She was the only one who could make him really smile, who could make him angry at the same time. She was the only one who found out the real him. Unwillingly, Virginia had become his friend, his only friend. _"So say it!"_ his brain hissed at him. "You'll never understand," he said instead, looking away.

"No, it's you who doesn't understand anything!" Ginny said loudly. She stood up and paced back and forth before him. "Do you think that Bianca's happy seeing you like this? Tormenting yourself on her behalf?"

Silence.

"You always think that you're a bad person Draco but in truth you're not! Would you just do yourself and everybody a favor and just for once stop blaming yourself? For goodness sake! It wasn't your fault! You didn't kill her! Your father did! He should be the one suffering and not you!"

At that, Draco stared at her, completely surprised with her little speech. Ginny sighed and knelt before him, her chin resting on top of his knee, her eyes looking up at him. Against the crackling fire, Draco noticed how beautiful she was. Without a word, he deftly ran his fingers against her hair, his eyes roaming around her face as if seeing her for the first time.

"I may not understand the pain you've felt before, Draco," she whispered as his fingers caressed her face. Ginny's hand went up to touch his. "But I do know one thing. You're not a bad or— or an evil person just because of that and-- and nobody hated you for that. Actually, nobody hates you, so please stop hating yourself."

"Potter hates me," said Draco quietly. "Your brother, Granger—"

Ginny shook her head. "No, they don't hate you," she denied. "They're just angry but surely you can't blame them, right?"

At that, Draco gave a snort. "Yeah, right," he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Then he smiled without humor. "You hate me."

Ginny looked up momentarily. She then smiled. "Okay, let's rephrase that, shall we?" she said turning to him. "I've always thought I hated you but then I realized that I actually don't." Then she looked at him with heartfelt eyes. "To be honest, it was only your voice I heard clearly amidst the frantic shouting and yelling a while ago. It was you, just you and at that moment I really felt like I had to see you, you know. It was weird, actually and that's when I realized that I didn't really hate you after all these years. Well, although you have this uncanny ability to irk me once in a while…"

Draco chuckled. "I do that, don't I?" he asked.

"Yes," said Ginny. Then she reached up and touched his face. Draco found his eyes closing, savoring the gentle movement of her fingers, his face leaning into her touch. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "May— may I kiss you?" she asked. Then without waiting for his answer, Ginny stood up and sealed his lips with hers. 

Upon feeling her lips against his, Draco hurriedly pulled her to him, settling her on top of his lap, kissing her like there was no tomorrow. He let his lips run along her eyes, her nose, her cheek… just everywhere… he didn't care anymore! His hands settled on her robe sash and skillfully untied it only to reveal the thin material of her night gown.

Ginny gasped as she felt his hands settling on her breasts, caressing them. She threw her head back when Draco began nipping at her neck. She was feeling so hot and dizzy at the same time as different kinds of emotions crashed at her all at once. She pulled her to him, closer, her hands gently kneading through his hair. "Make love to me, Draco," she whispered against his ear.

At that, Draco lifted her up easily and laid her on the couch. He stared at her momentarily. She was looking up at him, her brown eyes pleading, shining with raw desire, the faint orange glow of the fire playing upon her skin complementing the sweet-smelling crown of red mane atop her head and she never looked so beautiful… _painfully beautiful…_ Just then, he felt the unusual warmness bursting inside his chest… and he felt terrified. _"I can't do this. This is all new to me, I can't…"_

"Draco?"

He smiled, leaned towards her and did something he never did with any woman before. He softly kissed her on the forehead and covered her body with her robe. Then without a word, he stood up and left her there, looking after him with a pained and confused expression on her face.

==========

__

"What was that all about?" his body screamed as Draco slammed his bedroom door behind him. He leaned against his door, breathing hard.

__

"I don't know. I don't understand anything anymore," his brain said. His hands flew to his face. _"I can't believe I'm feeling all fucked up over this! Over her!"_

"Then quit being a wussy and tell her what you feel."

At that, Draco let his hands down. _Tell her what I feel?_ He asked himself. _But—what do I feel?_ He shook his head and slumped himself on his bed, not even bothering to turn any light on except for the fire, which gave out a soft glow. He was now fully aware that what he had felt a while ago weren't just hormones anymore, it was something else, something totally beyond everything, something he was terrified of. He was scared because he couldn't understand the feeling, he couldn't comprehend…

"Did I scare you?"

Draco whirled around only to see Ginny standing before her chamber 'door.' She looked at him, her expression unreadable. Draco turned away from her saying nothing.

"Why won't you look at me, Draco?" Ginny asked slowly walking towards him. "Don't I please you in anyway?" she said in a hurt voice.

"No, no it's not that," said Draco quickly. "It's just that—"

"I know I'm not like Blaise or—or—"

This time, Draco turned to her. "Don't you ever, ever compare yourself with that woman, do you hear?" he rasped. Ginny looked down and bit her lip, trying hard not to cry. Draco's face softened. "Because you're more than that, as you've said."

And with that, Draco immediately pulled her to him, enclosing her in his embrace. What the hell was he thinking back there? Just seeing her, feeling her body against his and hearing her sigh was enough to convince him that nothing mattered anymore, that it was not a question of whether everything felt right or wrong… everything was just about her, Virginia. Nothing mattered but her…

He then slowly lifted her face up to his and planted his lips on hers, giving her a slow sensuous kiss, a learning kiss, feeling hers at first. When he felt her responding, he deepened it, teasing her mouth with his tongue till a soft moan escaped her lips. Taking the opportunity, Draco slid his tongue inside to taste her.

"Draco," she whimpered helplessly as she felt his hands going to her robe and untying the sash. Her hands then automatically went to his shirt to lift it up, her hands trailing along his chest. Draco shivered upon feeling the butterfly movements of her fingers as he momentarily raised his arms. Having himself free of the shirt, he went back to kissing her while his hands busily unbuttoned her nightgown. 

"Ginny…" he breathed as she proceeded to place wet kisses against his naked chest, her hands busy fumbling with his belt. A chuckle escaped his lips upon hearing her impatient sigh, her hands were already tugging at his trousers. He took her hands with his and stared at her, his eyes momentarily dropping to her half-opened nightgown, revealing a glimpse of her breasts. 

"I have— I have to tell you something first," said Ginny, her face getting scarlet. She cast her eyes down and bit her lower lip. "I— I haven't done this before and I—"

Draco's eyes widened. She's a virgin? "You're a virgin?" he asked aloud, astounded.

Ginny looked up. "Is that a bad thing?" she asked timidly, suddenly feeling all shy.

Draco shook his head. "No, no of course not," he said quickly. He gave her a reassuring hug. Good heavens! He didn't quite expect to her to be a virgin! They were actually a dying breed nowadays and considering the fact that he didn't bring women in his chamber, let alone doing 'it' with a virgin here! It was actually not his habit to bring women inside his chamber and have sex with them because he had always considered that his room was kind of like a sacred place, something special. But now, doing this with Virginia, in here…

"We'll take everything slowly, all right?" he said kissing her on the forehead. It amazed him. Since when did he care for anybody but himself let alone their pleasure over his?

"Okay," squeaked Ginny. 

Draco then slowly eased the nightgown and the pair of knickers off her only to reveal the dainty form of her body before him. He let his eyes momentarily roam from her face then to her breasts, firm but not too small and also not too big. His hand went up to gently caress one tender bud. Truly, her body was made for pleasure. What was that stupid Potter thinking before? 

She took a deep heated breath.

Draco then lifted her up and placed her on his bed. Then standing up, he shrugged his trousers off, settling them in a messy heap on the floor. Ginny turned away shyly as Draco joined her on the bed, both of them fully clothed with the night. He stared at her for a moment only to notice her narrow waist giving way to the delicate roundness of her hips. Just as he expected, she was pink and white all over.

"I swear, Virginia that I would never intentionally hurt you," he whispered, giving her shoulder light kisses. 

Ginny turned and faced him. "I know," she whispered back. Draco then settled his body on top of hers, he gazed at her first before sealing her mouth with his, his tongue immediately seeking out her own. When he felt her shy and awkward response, he groaned with pleasure. She tasted sweet and clean at the same time.

Ginny gasped when she felt his hands caressing her. Her gasps turned to a moan when she finally felt his lips on her breasts, sucking her tenderly, his teeth lightly grazing one gentle bud. She cried out and arched her body up to his. "Oh god, Draco," she whimpered when she felt him taking the other one.

Upon hearing her urgent cries, Draco kissed her again and this time her lips parted quickly, her fingers tentatively exploring the bare skin of his chest. Seeing the look of raw desire in her eyes and feeling her softness beneath him was driving his body to a burning passion. But remembering how tender she was right now, he forced himself to go slowly.

Lowering his head, he then trailed his lips on her chest down to her stomach. When he reached the smooth skin of her abdomen, he gently let his tongue graze them, enjoying the taste of her. He was immediately rewarded with a pleasurable sigh as if her breath had caught in her throat. When he went lower, she laced her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer, calling his name hoarsely.

"Draco, please… not… " but her protests drowned out upon feeling his lips over her, kissing and tasting her.

Draco smiled mentally upon seeing the look of sweet torment on her face, her eyes half-closed, her lips parted slightly. His need throbbed even more when he heard another set of gasps and moans from her lips. This was the sign of the encouragement that he had hoped for.

Taking his time, Draco then explored every inch of her body, licking and kissing her everywhere, teaching her how to enjoy his touch and how to touch him in return. By the time the fire burned low, Draco then positioned himself between her legs and gazed at her eyes.

"Are you ready, Virginia?" he asked while kissing her nose gently.

"Yes," replied Ginny. 

With that, he kissed her briefly on the lips and began easing himself slowly into her. "You all right?" Draco asked breathlessly upon feeling her so tight and so warm around him. So tight and so warm that it took all his willpower not to shove himself immediately inside her. He gritted his teeth for control.

"Y- yes," she replied. When Draco pushed, a sudden cry came out of her lips. Immediately, he stopped and soothed and reassured her. Surprisingly, he felt her pain as if whatever touched her, touched him as well. Moments later, Ginny moved her hips beneath his and he entered her fully.

Draco then began to move against her slowly, pulling almost all the way out only to ease back inside her. When her momentary discomfort melted, Ginny then urged him to go faster, her legs wrapping about him. 

"Please… oh… please…" she whimpered against his shoulders upon feeling him pushing fast and hard into her warmth. She pulled him closer, her body moving with accordance to his fast sensual rhythm. Then, as if forever, Ginny called out his name as she felt herself coming over the edge.

When Draco finally felt her smooth contractions around him, he completely lost himself. His body responding to hers, he released his soul inside her, groaning out her name and silencing her with a kiss within that wondrous moment.

Then they lay there in tired silence, the dying fire crackling softly, feeling each other's heartbeats. A moment later, Draco slowly eased himself out of her and pulled her to him. Ginny willingly rolled into his embrace, entwining her legs with his, their bodies both heaving. She placed her head on his chest and began giving it light kisses. Closing her eyes momentarily, she took a deep breath. The room strongly smelled of oak, lust, wine and Draco put together and it was the most pleasant scent to her senses. She felt like she could dwell in that scent forever and not get tired of it.

"Now, that was unexpected," she said after a moment, her lips brushing against his chest with her every word. At that, Draco chuckled.

"Is that all you have to say?" he asked looking at her.

Ginny shrugged as Draco pulled the covers around them. "I like the way you feel against me," she said truthfully. 

"And I like the way you feel against me," he replied, looking at her fondly. He never felt this with other women before. For him, what they just did wasn't just sex, it was something deeper, something special. It was like taking a part of her and giving something of his in return. 

It was really surprising. He didn't know that he was capable of being gentle. Actually, he preferred the rough thing when it comes to doing 'it' before. He didn't want tenderness and Blaise would often give what he wanted. But now, he was actually afraid of not pleasing her! Now, he fully understood the difference of having sex from making love. Virginia made him understand that. And if he were to be asked now, he preferred this one better. The thought scared him but at this moment, he didn't care. Nothing mattered but her and her softness against him. 

Ginny smiled at this. Never had she experienced such an unexpected rush of sheer pleasure. Now her body felt exhausted but warm at the same time. She frowned mentally. What the hell was she thinking before? Not letting Draco do this with her sooner? If she had just known how—pleasurable this was-- Just then, she felt Draco taking in a deep breath. She looked up at him only to find him yawning. Then unmindful of the amused look she gave him, Draco kissed her lightly on the forehead and closed his eyes.

"Draco?" she called out softly.

Draco forced his eyes open. "Yes?" he asked.

"Good night,"

"Mm... good night," he murmured back, closing his eyes once again and giving her arm a light squeeze

With that, Ginny finally closed her eyes, sleep finally worming its way to her. 

In the silence of the night, the first signs of snow gently fell from the sky.

  


A/N: OKay, it's about time I stop teasing you guys... ^_^ Please tell me what you think about this... and no flames... this is my first HP lemon scene and I really don't want to make it look like all smutty and everything. I was aiming for something beautiful... heh! ^_^ Please no flames. thanks a lot! 

End of Part X 


	11. Butterbeer and Violet Eyes

**Author's notes: Okay, I'm so sorry to keep everybody waiting ::bows:: gomen, gomen… Here's Part 11, finally!!! Special thanks to my beta-readers, ****Alli-chan, ****Fred and ****Tuva! ****Violetjersey, if you're reading this, why are you not e-mailing me? ^_^ Anyway, this chapter is for ****Alli-chan. Thank you so much for pulling me out of the dump, Alli! Just what would I do without you!**

I don't know, this chapter is exceptionally longer compared to the other ones and I can't help but feel I've written a 35-page crap here… ^__^ I hope nobody thinks that way.

My thanks to **FallenPhoenix for the name suggestion. I'm still deciding though. It was nice talking to you! ^_^ Oh and also to ****Zuk or something, you know who you are, no? I'm sorry but I can't seem to remember your name… anyway, it was also nice chatting with you.**

]

And last but not the least, to all of you for patiently waiting. Thanks so much!!! Here's part 11. Enjoy! 

**Serpent's Bride XI: Butterbeer and Violet Eyes**

_The man gave out a very eerie grin. He turned to the woman, his eyes turning cold._

_"I'm sorry," the woman said, her voice equally cold. "I know I shouldn't have done that. I know it wasn't the right time." _

_Silence._

_Then she smiled as she gave the man a look of irritation. "You know what," she suddenly said, "I take that back! I'm not sorry for what I did with the carriage! I'm just sorry she didn't die right there on the spot!"_

_With that, the man smiled. "I know," he simply said._

_"You know what__?" the woman asked impatiently._

_ "Change of plans," he replied, his voice low and raspy._

_She smiled, showing white, even teeth. "You mean—"_

_"The right timing."_

_"Now?"_

_He turned to her without losing the same, cold smile. He nodded. "Now."_

==========

Ginny smiled upon feeling the unusual warmth against her that winter morning. She rolled around and pulled the covers slightly to hide her unclothed body from the cold. Letting out a silly giggle, she tugged the covers again, wrapping it tighter around her. When no one tugged back, she smiled with satisfaction. _"Good," she thought. __"I'm all alone." Usually, when Draco would decide to stay lazing beside her in the morning, he would often tug all the blankets to keep for himself. Of course, she would tug back, which would often result to a tug of war and would later on end to another luxurious lovemaking session. Her eyes then fluttered open only to see a single red rose resting on top of Draco's pillow. She sat up and pulled the covers up to her chest, tucking them beneath her arms. She reached for the rose and smiled._

_"He never fails," she thought as she brought the fragrant thing to her nose. __"Everytime I would wake up all alone." The simple gesture touched her deeply. Perhaps the rose was to remind her that she was his wife, the same woman he would come home to and the same woman he would make love to every night. Perhaps the rose was also a way to show her that she wasn't just one of his women, women he would 'do' at night and leave in the morning, never to come back— she could go on! With that, another silly giggle came out of her lips._

_"Just what is this feeling?_ She found herself asking. She felt happy and terrified at the same time. Everytime she was alone with him, she would feel reluctant but giving, excited but timid. Actually, everything was hard to explain, to understand. _"Maybe everything was designed not to be understood," she heard her heart say. She sighed contentedly upon remembering the interesting 'activity' they just had the night before._

Ever since that first time, Ginny couldn't get enough of him. She was sure that Draco felt the same way. For once, Ginny stopped using her own chamber or the other chamber in the east wing and Draco, too, was most unwilling to be left alone at night. Secondly, their passionate need increased so much that they had to make love everytime they were alone, every opportunity they'd get. In his study, in the bathroom, often times in his 'hidden' chamber but most of the time in here, in his quarters. But even with all that, Ginny still felt a little uneasy.

Although that stopped the endless and nonsensical bickering and bantering between them, she just couldn't help but wonder why, every morning, they would just sit there side by side, saying nothing, as if nothing special happened the night before. If they did say something, it would be about shallow things, like the weather or the news and it was always cool and civil. Then he would go out for some business she didn't even know about, leaving her alone all day. But at night, when he came home to her… she shook her head. At night, in the four corners of this chamber, it would be different. It would be warm, tender. At night, no words were needed, just actions. She just recently discovered that Draco was indeed a very passionate person. She just loved the way he touched her. Slow now, then one moment wild… his lips kissing her everywhere… At that, her face felt suddenly hot. 

"That's it!" Ginny said aloud, bounding out of bed taking the rose with her. "No more thinking about Draco!" She draped her robe about her. "God knows I'm going crazy thinking about him," she muttered as she hastily made her way towards the bathroom to wash herself, her hands busy rubbing her face to cool her heated cheeks. Moments later, she emerged, fully dressed. She sat before her vanity, put the rose in one of her drawers and began brushing her hair while humming a soft, Christmas carol. Then she stopped abruptly. Christmas! Tomorrow's already Christmas! _"I haven't got him anything yet!" She shook her head._

"Hammilton!" she called out suddenly. 

Almost immediately, Draco's ghost valet floated through the wall. "You called Madam?" it asked, levitating behind her.

"Uh, yes," said Ginny frowning. Until now, she wasn't used to the idea of being called madam, let alone sitting before a ghost servant whom was eagerly waiting for her orders. When the ghost stood there waiting, Ginny cleared her throat. "Okay, I'm not really sure how to say this but," she paused and turned to him, "do you have any idea as to what— what I should give Draco, you know, for Christmas?" she finally finished awkwardly.

At that, ghost looked at her as if she grew three heads at the same time. Ginny frowned at this. Perhaps Hammilton wasn't used to being asked for his opinions, she thought. Then after a moment, it decided to speak. "Might I suggest that the young Mistress give Master Draco a book or a painting?" 

"Oh, but he has dozens of it already," said Ginny rolling her eyes. "Isn't there anything else he would like?" she asked. 

"Well, from what I see the young Master is very fond of books. Muggle books at that," replied Hammilton. Surprisingly, there was a sure lilt in his usual unemotional voice.

Ginny frowned at him thoughtfully. "You know, that surprised me," she said. "I've always thought that the Malfoy's hated everything that had something to do with Muggles."

"Ah, that's quite true," said Hammilton in his sorrowful voice. "The late Master Lucius was not very fond of Muggle things as well as the young master. However, Master Draco found Muggle art interesting."

"Did his father know about this interest?" Ginny asked.

"No, mistress," the ghost answered. "The young master knew that his father would not approve. As a result, I would often see him reading Muggle literary pieces in secret."

Ginny nodded thoughtfully. So that's why Draco had that secret chamber built. Just what sort of man was Lucius Malfoy anyway? She asked herself with disgust. Now she was beginning to see what kind of childhood Draco had. The thought tugged at the strings of her heart, the desire to reach out to him becoming stronger. Then she smiled. She knew now what to give him. "Thanks, Hammilton!" she said brightly turning once again to her mirror.

The ghost nodded in acknowledgement. "Would there be anything else, mistress?" it asked formally.

"No, that would be all," said Ginny.

"Very well," said Hammilton before floating away from her. Once alone, Ginny then pulled her hair into a tight ponytail and bounded cheerfully towards their chamber's massive door. She was about to open it when a soft mew erupted inside the room. She looked down only to see her cat looking up at her with its blue eyes. Smiling, Ginny bent down and picked it up.

"Hi, sweetling. When did you get here?" she cooed, her hands playfully stroking its fur-covered body. She brought it against her chest, savoring its warmth. The cat, in turn, gave a loud satisfied purr. "Do you want to join me for breakfast?" she asked. When the cat gave out a loud mew, Ginny laughed and opened the door. 

Taking the cat with her, she then silently made her way towards the dining hall, her eyes traveling to the cheerful Christmas decorations adorning the walls. She looked sideways as she passed the main sitting room. She smiled and took an impressed gasp when she saw the biggest and the most beautiful Christmas tree standing there with piles and piles of gifts under it. On the fireplace hung big stockings overflowing with candies and chocolates. Honestly, she never expected the Malfoys associating themselves actively with the festive season. She continued walking and soon reached the dining hall only to see her mother-in-law sitting there all alone, reading the Daily Prophet. 

Narcissa, upon feeling another presence in the room, looked up from her reading and smiled. "Good morning, dear," she greeted.

"Good morning," said Ginny back. When she felt her cat struggling to get free, she then bent and finally let go. The cat then immediately scampered away from her. "You're all alone. Where's grandfather?" she asked, straightening.

"Well, Fields told me that Father's going to be a little late," said Narcissa as Ginny made her way towards the table. She sat next to Narcissa and deftly placed the table napkin on her lap. Moments later, three servants came in carrying trays and coffee cups. When the food was laid before them, she turned to Narcissa only to see her busily placing the Daily Prophet aside. She cleared her throat.

"He's not feeling sick, is he? She asked worriedly, remembering about what Draco said about Vladimir dying and everything. She looked straight at Narcissa and waited anxiously.

"No, I don't think so," the older woman said while shaking her head. "Father has these issues when it comes to mornings," she continued as she took her fork and knife and begun cutting her pancake. "Surely you know what sort of man father is, don't you?" she finished. She looked at her meaningfully at first before taking a bite of her breakfast.

"Yes," said Ginny thoughtfully. But then she felt a little uneasy. Recently, Ginny noticed Vladimir retiring earlier than expected. Usually, his bedtime would be past midnight or later but now it seemed he would get sleepy at around ten or eleven. She also noticed that he would always complain about feeling so tired. Sometimes he would complain about having dizzy spells. She looked away. Was Draco right? Was Vladimir really dying? And what about Narcissa? Did she know everything?

"It seems Draco left early again," said Narcissa after a moment. 

Ginny murmured out a soft yes while busily pouring the syrup on her thick, fluffy pancakes. 

"I have to ask you, dear," continued Narcissa. "Just where does he go and at this time of day?" she asked curiously. 

At that, Ginny stopped. She looked at Narcissa only to see the older woman looking at her with expectation. Of course, Narcissa was expecting for her to know! She was his wife! With that, embarrassment completely washed over her. Just where was Draco anyway? What was she supposed to say? What would Narcissa think of her if she told her she didn't know? She swallowed hard. "W—well, Draco's uh--," she paused to think of something to say. 

"Yes—," Narcissa prodded.

Ginny mentally swore at Draco. Ooh… he's going to pay for everything later! She vowed darkly. "Draco's uh— out on—some business," she finished a little lamely. Then she forced out a smile. "You know, business, like meetings in the Ministry, Gringgots and everything," she said using that convincing voice of hers.

Narcissa sighed, accepting her vague answer. "Oh well, men. They are all the same," she said tiredly, going back to her breakfast. Then chewing slowly, she looked up. "But Ginny dear, do tell Draco not to work too hard, all right?" she asked after swallowing her food. "I terribly miss him during breakfast. It's a good thing that you and your grandfather are quite used to this, yes?"

Ginny smiled. "I always do that, mother," she replied with a straight face. 

Then they continued their breakfast in silence, with Narcissa finishing her coffee and Ginny finishing her first pancake. She was about to get her second helping when loud, heavy footsteps echoed inside the hall. She looked up to see Vladimir's huge form entering the dining hall. Immediately, she smiled with relief. Then her smile withered upon seeing a spherical, custard-colored creature against his arms. When a pink tongue slithered across the table, Narcissa's eyes nearly popped out her head.

"You know," Ginny began as Vladimir took his usual seat at the head of the table while spanking the creature's tongue. In return, it slithered back into its' mouth before touching Narcissa's toasts, muffling out a soft pained cry, "I was about to say 'good morning' but I have to ask—," she paused and looked at the creature's round body. "Why do you have a Puffskein with you?" she asked looking at the older man and pointing at the Puffskein wonderingly.

Vladimir gave a hearty laugh. "Chandler gave this little tyke to me as an early Christmas present!" he boomed merrily as he gave the Puffskein one last pat before letting it on the floor. Narcissa's silver eyes followed it with subtle disgust. "Good man, Chandler, never forgets to give me presents! I've always wanted one, mind you, other than having the complete set of Buffy the Vampire Slayer paperback series," he continued. Ginny found herself laughing upon noting the hinting tone in his voice. 

She shook her head. "I'm sorry but I've already bought your Christmas present," she said as she lightly buttered her bread. Now that was weird. She thought. Recently, she had just learned that those Muggle paperbacks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer paperbacks in particular, were actually included in Vladimir's book collection. _"How crazy can you get?" she found herself asking. __"I wouldn't be surprised if I find Muggle romance novels there too." The thought made her smile with amusement. __"Now world," she said to herself, __"this is a concrete example of a rich, funny but eccentric half-vampire. Take a good look!"_

"Aw, too bad!" Vladimir said soberly as he started eating his breakfast. "The last volume I read was a damn cliff-hanger!"

"Well, you can always go to Flourish and Blotts," said Narcissa delicately.

"Blasted bookshop I tell yeh!" Vladimir exclaimed. The two women looked at him wonderingly, obviously used to his sudden outbursts. "It would take them forever to have the next volume out!"

"Well that's because Buffy the Vampire Slayer paperbacks are from the Muggle community," explained Ginny patiently. 

"If you want, you can go to a Muggle bookshop and buy all the Buffy stuff they've got there," she suggested.

"What? And scare the hell out of those Muggles?" he said with disgust. "I tell yeh those bunch of people are a strange lot," he continued, stirring his coffee while shaking his head in pity, "I remember one time, I went to a Muggle bookshop and people there just stared at me as if I were some kind of— Screwt or Flobberworm or something! Stupid, odd creatures! Though I don't have anything against their technological ingenuity, mind you," he babbled on while busying himself with his own breakfast.

"Oh I couldn't agree with you more," said Ginny with total agreement. "Muggles are interesting people. Their technological development is very fast, evolving rapidly to answer to their ever increasing needs," she concluded remembering the many times she had interacted with them.

Narcissa nodded. "Oh very much indeed," she supplied while mildly wiping her mouth. "I even wonder how those people survive without any magic at all. No owls, no wands and spell books whereas I won't know what to do without any of it! I most probably won't survive at all!" she exclaimed.

Ginny nodded as she busied herself with putting cream and sugar in her coffee. Vladimir, in turn, grunted and murmured his approval. She was about to drink her coffee when Vladimir's loud voice suddenly echoed inside the hall.

"Yeah, speaking of Muggles, Virginia," Vladimir suddenly barked. Ginny turned her attentions immediately to him, completely forgetting her coffee. "I must have a chat sometime with your father. I've always been interested in their strange and bizarre way of living. He's an expert when it comes to Muggle studies, is he not?"

"Why, yes. Yes, my father's quite knowledgeable when it comes to Muggle things, if that's what you mean," she replied, putting her coffee cup down. "Which reminds me, this is your lucky day. I just received an owl yesterday from my mum inviting us all for a Christmas dinner at the Burrow and—"

"Ah, excellent, excellent," boomed Vladimir while vigorously nodding and rubbing his hands. "Of course we should all go. What did your husband say?"

Ginny blinked upon the mention of Draco's name. "Oh, uh, he said— that he has nothing against it as long as mother," she paused and turned to Narcissa, "has nothing special planned for the evening," she finally finished.

Vladimir, in turn, looked at Narcissa expectantly.

Narcissa's eyebrows immediately went up a notch. "Oh, I— don't have anything special planned out, as a matter of fact," she replied. Then she clapped her hands together once. "Oh, that would be so delightful! I'll owl Molly right away to tell them we'll be coming," she added. Then she smiled wistfully. This would be the first Christmas they would have without Lucius. The thought made her somewhat glad. Christmas before was nothing compared to this. 

Before, Narcissa wasn't permitted to decorate the manor or even put up a Christmas tree or anything that had to do with the festive season. Even gift-giving was almost non-existent. Lucius hadn't given her anything but spending money and to Draco, he would give nothing special but necessities. His broom, hard-bound books about Dark Magic, his own sword. What sort of father would give those things to his son for Christmas? 

_"My poor Draco," she thought upon seeing Ginny's smiling face. Unlike Ginny, Draco was ripped off from the childhood he had so deserved, just like any other child. At the very young age of two, Draco was taught not to believe in Santa Claus or in any other childhood fantasy or fairytale. As a result, Draco grew up without a single dreamer's bone in his body. It made him cold, oftentimes cruel, just as Lucius had wanted. At that, Narcissa hoped that Ginny would be able to pull her son out from the misery his father had deeply buried him into._

"And you my dear," said Vladimir suddenly as Ginny, once again, took hold of her coffee cup, "where are you off to today?" he asked.

"Well, I'll be out to get something for Draco," replied Ginny. Then she giggled mischievously. "I haven't got him anything yet. Don't tell him that, all right?" She was about to bring the cup to her lips to drink the hot liquid when suddenly, a wet, slimy thing coiled around her fingers. Giving out a startled scream, Ginny stood up abruptly and dropped the cup to the floor. It shattered into five pieces, the coffee sloshing everywhere, on her dress, on the white table cloth. The Puffskein, in turn, looked up at them guiltily. But the guilty look immediately disappeared as it smelled the delicious aroma of the coffee against its fur. Its tongue hastily went out, licking the coffee off the floor. 

"Bad Puffy!" scolded Vladimir while bending down and spanking the Puffskein whom was too busy to even pay him attention. "Bad, bad Puffy!"

"You named your Puffskein Puffy?" Ginny asked, still having the courage to sound sarcastic. She laughed with amusement. "You might as well name it Buffy! Why change the B to P?"

"Oh the Puffy thing just came out of my lips on impulse," said Vladimir chuckling. "I'm sorry about your coffee, dear, it's just that—"

"No need to be," said Narcissa suddenly, her eyes wide. 

Ginny and Vladimir turned to her only to see her looking at floor, her eyes getting wild. The two then diverted their attentions back at the Puffskein only to see it gagging. Just then, Narcissa cried with surprise and disgust upon seeing 'Puffy's' mouth foaming. Ginny immediately bent down with Vladimir following suit.

"What—what—" Ginny stuttered upon seeing the Puffskein rolling around wildly, its mouth still foaming out a white, creamy substance. Then seconds after, it stopped. It was dead.

Vlad immediately tossed the dead Puffskein aside. Looking at the Puffy-free pool of coffee before him, Vladimir then slowly touched it with his forefinger. He grimly brought the finger to his nose, sniffing lightly. Ginny looked at him frowning with confusion while Narcissa went about the room calling for servants to clean the mess. Just then he swore loudly. Narcissa immediately stopped.

"What?" Ginny asked as Vladimir stood up. She stood up as well. "What? What happened?" she demanded.

Vladimir turned to her, his face grave. "Poison," was all he said before pacing the room back and forth.

"Poison?" Ginny and Narcissa both asked at the same time.

"What do you mean, Grandfather?" Ginny asked.

Vladimir stopped and turned to her. "Your coffee had poison in it," replied Vladimir quietly. 

At that, Ginny's jaw dropped with astonishment, unable to say anything. Upon noting her surprised silence, Vladimir looked away. First it was the carriage, now her coffee… he took a deep breath, his eyes blinking fast. _Seems like Virginia's having a lot of 'accidents' lately_. He surmised, his suspicions growing stronger. 

Snapping out of her trance, Ginny immediately bent down to examine the spilled coffee, sniffing it lightly. _"Egg shell of Runespoor, Sea serpent blood and chopped roots of poison ivy," her brain immediately rattled on recognizing the different pungent scents up close. __"Xiphias Potion!" her brain suddenly hissed. Just then she stood up aghast. She looked at the dead Puffskein lying on the floor horrifyingly. If not for 'Puffy' she would've been dead by now! Just who would want her to drink a strong potion used by illegal wizard traders for tranquilizing dangerous marine magical beasts? Vladimir was right. It was poison. To humans and other domesticated creatures, that is. But then, the thought of someone serving her Xiphias potion INTENTIONALLY was really absurd! Maybe everything was just an accident. Maybe it was as simple as that. _

"What is it?" Narcissa asked anxiously. When she saw the pensive expression on his face and the thoughtful statements on Ginny's, she moaned. "Oh, not today please. Not now, it's Christmas-"

"Eggshell of Runespoor, Sea serpent blood and chopped roots of poison ivy," narrated Ginny while facing Vladimir. "Xiphias," she finally concluded.

"Most likely," said Vladimir. He nodded thoughtfully. _Who would want Virginia dead?_

Ginny turned away, too preoccupied with her own thoughts. What's more— who would concoct such a potion? _"If I remember correctly, eggshell of Runespoor and Sea Serpent blood could only be purchased in Knockturn Alley," she said to herself. Yes, that's right. She could still remember Snape's voice clearly inside her head._

_"And what about the Xiphias potion? Weasley!"_

_"Rare, professor, for the ingredients are not for sale in any common apothecary. Most of the ingredients could be found, however, in any Dark Wizard shops like Knockturn Alley."_

_"What are the ingredients?"_

_"Runespoor liver, Sea serpent blood and chopped roots of poison ivy."_

_"Ten points from Gryffindor! It's eggshell of Runespoor not liver for your information Ms. Weasley. I swear, you're becoming like Granger and Weasley more and more everyday. A daft know-it-all and a clever blockhead!"_

"You are not to go out today, Virginia," said Vladimir suddenly as two servants immediately went inside the dining hall to clean the mess. "Heaven knows what sort of 'accident' is in store again for you and—"

"But Grandfather!" Ginny exclaimed. 

"No, Virginia," he said firmly. "You listen to me, girl! I don't know what is out there right now. We don't know who wants to get you and I absolutely—"

"Who wants to get me?" Ginny replied back unbelievingly. She shook her head while pacing back and forth before the old man. "This is ridiculous! No one's out to get me, Grandfather. It's just pure accident," she continued, tossing her hands up into the air, "For all we know—"

"Two accidents in the same month?" Vladimir said loudly. "Really Virginia—"

"Can't we just settle this as peacefully as possible?" asked Narcissa softly upon feeling the rising strain in the air. It shocked her to find out how stubborn Ginny could be if she wanted to. But then, Vladimir was equally stubborn too. Put them together and everything would be a losing battle for both parties, really. Then she shook her head. "What is happening? It's the day before Christmas and bad things are happening!" she lamented. Perhaps she was wrong. This Christmas was no better than the ones they had when Lucius was still alive.

"Nothing is happening, mother," said Ginny firmly. She shot a meaningful look towards Vladimir's direction. "It was just an accident. Probably one of the house elves uh—unintentionally put the potion in my coffee. They most likely mistook it for the warming potion I requested. Maybe it wasn't even supposed to be placed in my coffee! Maybe it was just placed before me by chance and I think—"

"Virginia, if I say that—"

"Grandfather please," said Ginny in her soft and imploring voice. "Look, I will just go out and buy something for Draco. It won't take long, I promise."

"If you want to give him something for Christmas then just go and do something damn different in bed for tonight! Put up an exotic dance or something!" Vladimir exclaimed.

"Father! Really!" Narcissa blurted out, her hand flying to cover her mouth as Ginny's face went suddenly red. Vladimir looked at Ginny meaningfully. 

For a moment there, Ginny thought about the slinky, red lingerie Hermione and the rest of the girls gave her. Then she shook her head. No, the last thing that she wanted to do was wear something like that in front of Draco. She turned to the old man and frowned at him with disapproval but nevertheless blushing while Narcissa's eyes widened with shock. 

Vladimir ignored the reaction of the two women before him and cleared his throat. "I just can't believe you are going through all this trouble for that boy! Buying him something for Christmas! Why didn't you buy it sooner?" he barked.

"I— I forgot," replied Ginny lamely. Well, in truth, she did! Everytime Draco was around, there was just no time to think about buying Christmas presents! All it would take for her to forget was just a kiss, then a bit more and before she knew it, it was already too dark to go out, the thought of buying presents already far from her mind! She turned to him, deploying her sweetest, lost-puppy-eyed look that could melt even the coldest of hearts. "Please?"

Vladimir frowned at her, still not sure. With that, Ginny shook her head tiredly.

"I'll be quick. I'll apparate. I will just go out and buy something and I'll go home afterwards. I won't talk to strangers or— or accept any drinks or coffee from them—"

"I don't know, Virginia," said Vladimir, shaking his head. _"I have a bad feeling about this," he silently thought. "Just what would that boy say to us if he comes home here to find you all bloody, or worse, dead? With your husband away, surely we are responsible for—" _

_"He'll be happy?" her brain replied. Ginny sighed and shook her head. "Look, he has a name and it's Draco and I thank you for worrying about me that much," she said, a soft smile grazing her face. "But I promise I will be careful," she vowed, raising her right arm._

With that, Vladimir's stern expression lightened a bit. He stared at her for a while before shaking his head in defeat. "Fine, go," he said after a moment. "You're a stubborn girl, I see. But if anything happens to you, I'll kill the prat with my bare hands and throttle your husband later!"

She laughed. "Thanks!" Ginny said brightly as she got her wand out and flicked against her dress. Almost immediately, the coffee stain disappeared. "I'll be back before you know it,"

"Just go before I change my mind," growled Vladimir as he waved his hand as a sign of dismissal. He gruffly turned away from her. 

Ginny let out a giggle. Turning to Narcissa's bothered disposition, she smiled. "Isn't he a darling?" she asked jovially.

In spite of everything, Narcissa found herself smiling. She just couldn't believe that Ginny still had the courage to laugh at everything, particularly at Vladimir. Indeed, she was a very different girl. She surmised. She secretly wondered how Draco handled this woman. Their personalities clashed terribly. "Just be careful, dear," was all she could think of saying.

"I will," said Ginny as Fields handed her her coat. She then quickly put it on. "I'll see you later," she said before swishing her wand and disappearing before their very eyes.

==========

"Do you think that I could get it tonight?" Ginny asked Mr. Archer later that day. She had just finished her transaction, buying everything through owl order. For Draco's present, she had decided to get him a set of Muggle novels, Jostein Gaarder's novels to be exact. Judging from Draco's personality, she thought that he would find novels centering around history and philosophy absolutely worth reading. Besides, those were the only novels she didn't find in his Muggle book collection. She looked at the storekeeper unsurely, biting her lower lip while standing before the glass counter in a very curious bookshop she frequented in Hogsmeade. 

"I guarantee you, Mrs. Malfoy, that you will get everything tonight," the shopkeeper replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "I just sent Albert an owl informing him of your purchases," said Mr. Archer, peering at her through his small square glasses. "He is currently working in a Muggle bookshop somewhere in London and I assure you, you will get everything that you ordered tonight," he supplied.

"Oh all right," said Ginny, finally convinced. Then she granted him a smile. "Thank you very much Mr. Archer," she said politely.

"It 's always a pleasure, young Virginia," the old man said fondly. "Do come again soon."

Ginny smiled as she gathered her purse. "I believe I will," she replied amiably. "Merry Christmas!"

The old man chuckled. "A Merry Christmas to you too!" he said.

With that, Ginny gave him one last smile and turned around. She made her way towards the shop's exit when suddenly someone caught her eye. Frowning, she stopped and looked around only to find a pair of violet eyes staring at her from the bookshelf not far away from the shop's door. Her heart gave a sudden loud thud, realization hitting her.

When her brown eyes met her violet ones, the woman then hurriedly made her way towards the exit, her black cloak billowing behind her. She hastily threw the doors open and ran outside the shop.

"Wait!" Ginny called out as she ran after the departing woman. "Wait please!"

But the girl continued walking briskly away from her, as if deaf to her voice. Ginny tried her best to catch up to the fleeing woman, desperately fighting her way through the swarm of last minute Christmas shoppers.

"Wait!" Ginny called out loudly, unmindful of the curious stares the people gave her. She ran towards her. "Bianca Fairfax!"

At the mention of the name, the woman finally stopped. She turned to Ginny, her expression unreadable. 

Ginny then hurriedly made her way towards her, afraid that she would change her mind, turn around and run away, or worse, disapparate. When she finally reached her, huffing and puffing, her cheeks rosy with the sudden exercise, she looked at her with confusion and shock at the same time. Questions immediately flooded her head. Was this Bianca Anne Fairfax? But she was dead, right? Did she just simply vanish? Just what the hell was she thinking? Chasing a complete stranger halfway through— she was about to apologize, turn and walk away when the woman gave her a humorless smile.

"I see you already know," the woman said suddenly. 

Ginny blinked at her in surprise. "Know what?" she asked, heaving a little. "You're Bianca Fairfax, are you not?" she asked after a moment, noting her long black hair and violet eyes.

Instead of answering, the woman turned around. She was about to walk away from her when she suddenly stopped. Turning to Ginny, she narrowed her eyes. "Would you like to know who I am?" she asked.

At that, Ginny's head went on a fierce debate on whether to go with the woman or not. She stared at her first, thinking. But curiosity winning, she then reluctantly nodded in agreement, completely forgetting her promise to Vladimir. "To the Three Broomsticks then?" she asked. Well, if they should talk then it would be better to do it somewhere where it's crowded, right? She thought.

"Very well then," the woman said, turning around and beckoning for her to follow. They walked in silence amidst the noise and snow around them. After several minutes of walking, they reached the famous café's doors. The woman let Ginny enter first.

"Hi Ginny!" Madam Rosmerta immediately called upon seeing her taking her usual table. Ginny smiled as the owner zigzagged her way towards them. "Your usual?" she asked upon reaching their table. Her eyes traveled to the silent lady behind her. She raised her eyebrows questioningly at Ginny.

"Yup!" Ginny answered as the black-haired woman took her seat across from her. "Hot butterbeer for a cold winter day. So how are the kids?" she added. Then she turned to her companion, smiling. Upon seeing the sharp and uninterested expression on her face, Ginny then decided not to introduce her at all. It seemed like Madam Rosmerta too noticed the cold and unfriendly disposition of the woman that she didn't even bother asking Ginny about her.

"Oh, they are fine!" Madam Rosmerta answered laughing, finally deciding to ignore Ginny's strange companion. "Dana's almost four now and Pete two! And she learned one word today!" the woman exclaimed proudly. 

Ginny smiled. "Which is?"

"Oh, the usual," Madam Rosmerta said, waving her hand delicately. "Dada."

With that, Ginny laughed while her lady companion gave out a soft impatient snort. Just then, Madam Rosmerta turned serious.

"So how's married life going?" she asked Ginny after a moment. 

"Oh, everything's great," said Ginny without thinking. Then her smile turned to a slight frown upon noting the amused look the strange woman gave her.

Madam Rosmerta laughed. "So I take it, it won't be long now till you announce a new addition to the community?" she asked meaningfully. Of course, she had meant children by it.

"W- well, I don't know," Ginny stammered, forcing out a smile. She looked down upon feeling her face getting warm. "We shall see."

"Very well then," the lady owner said finally, "So, you'll have one hot butterbeer and—" She turned to Ginny's companion questioningly. 

"Same," the woman answered curtly, without looking at her.

Madam Rosmerta nodded. "Two hot butterbeers then," she declared before walking away from them. 

Once alone, Ginny stared at the woman sitting across from her closely. Noting the unusual hue of her eyes, the deep black color of her hair and her peaches and cream complexion, Ginny couldn't help but admit that the woman had a rare classic beauty that she often saw in her history books. She was wearing a dark blue dress robe that was fitted perfectly to flaunt the delicate but sensual curves of her body to its advantage. It brought out the violet color of her eyes even more, making her look mysterious and intense at the same time. _"She is the woman version of Draco," her brain unwillingly said. Subtle envy immediately washed over her. If this was Bianca Fairfax then surely she couldn't blame Draco for wanting her before!_

After a moment, Madam Rosmerta came back with their butterbeers. "Here you go ladies," she said serving them two, steaming mugs of the popular drink. "Enjoy!" 

"Thank you," murmured Ginny. Madam Rosmerta nodded in acknowledgement before walking away from them. 

Alone at last, Ginny took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of the beverage before her. Then she looked at the woman sitting across from her. "Who are you?" Ginny finally asked.

The woman turned to her, her hand closing in on the mug handle. "Don't worry, I'm not Bianca," she answered callously. She paused and took a tiny sip of her butterbeer. 

Ginny frowned at the indirect answer. "If you're not Bianca then why—why—"

"I'm her twin," the woman said, putting the mug down delicately. "Rebecca Fairfax."

Ginny's jaw dropped. She stared at her, unable to speak a word. Just then, Rebecca let out a soft heavy laugh, eyeing her sharply. "Go on," she said. "Ask."

At that, Ginny frowned defiantly at her. "What makes you think that I want to ask you something?" she asked, her voice turning cold. 

Rebecca shook her head. "I can see right through you, Virginia," she said. Ginny gasped upon hearing her name coming out of her lips. How did she know her? "And besides, you chased me down the street, remember?" she finished with light amusement. 

Ginny tried her best to control her temper. She couldn't believe this woman! She sounded just like Draco! Everything about her was very much like him! She had the same arrogant smirk, the same arrogant tone that never failed to drive her furious! With that, she took a deep, calming breath. "Tell me everything," she finally said.

Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "Why should I?"

"Because I want to know everything."

Rebecca stared at her for a long time, her eyes boring through her. Ginny tried her best to look away but she found herself staring back at the mesmerizing pair of violets piercing right through her. Just then she felt something hot inside her head. Then pain, excruciating pain. She closed her eyes, her hands immediately going to her temples. She heaved as the pain grew worse. It felt like her head was splitting apart with phantom hands delving deeper inside her mind. She forced her eyes open only to feel the intensity of her stare, seeping at her soul. Just then, everything stopped. The pain already gone. Ginny's lower trembled as she stared at Rebecca.

"What did you to me?" Ginny asked, heaving. She felt her hands warming once again when the pain slowly ebbed away. "What are you?"

Rebecca smirked. "I just played around inside your head," she said mysteriously, disregarding her second question. "You want to know everything, right?"

For a moment there, Ginny wondered why this woman suddenly decided to stop jesting her. Was it true then? Did she really see something inside her head? After all, she felt something unexplainable digging deep inside her, not just her mind but also her soul. It was as if she was reading her. The thought scared her a little. If so, then what kind of woman was she to have such powerful magic? Was it dark magic even? She could've easily driven her mad! Ooh, why didn't she think of Vladimir? At that, she decided to just stare at her silently, waiting but cautious. 

When Rebecca realized that no words would be uttered back at her, she cleared her throat. "Draco was a childhood friend," she said finally, sensing the sudden hostility in the air. "We were seven, Bianca and I, when we met him."

"Met him?" Ginny asked frowning.

Rebecca nodded. "My father and his father were business associates," she replied. She paused and took a sip of her butterbeer. Then after a moment, she spoke once again. "Since they were business associates, we would often invite them to dinner or parties—"

"Were you not even aware that Lucius was a Death Eater? That he was in league with Voldemort?" Ginny asked astonished, horrified at the thought that a normal wizarding family would even invite a man like Lucius for dinner. 

"My parents were Death Eaters," said Rebecca curtly. When she saw the horrified look Ginny gave her, she smirked. "Does that answer your question?"

"Go on," replied Ginny instead, quite taken aback.

"Well, my parents may have been Death Eaters but my sister and I were not brought up to care about any of it," she continued, her voice somewhat getting misty. "Although it was clear to everyone that Lucius was trying his best to rear up his son for that dark profession, still, Draco was just merely a boy."

"Which is—," Ginny prodded.

"Draco didn't actually take anything seriously at that time, being a child and all. Obviously, he wasn't even aware of what was expected of him. He wasn't aware of just how much importance his future role would have in Voldemort's circle," answered Rebecca. "I can still clearly remember, he was a sweet boy back then. We used to play all day and not care about anything. Apparently, Draco and Bianca became the closest."

"But Lucius killed your twin, right?" Ginny asked. "Why?"

"Lucius killed her because Bianca, with her sweet spirit, was slowly softening Draco up. He knew that my twin was becoming someone dear to his son. We were not interested in the Dark Arts or Voldemort and Lucius was afraid of what our friendship to Draco might have encouraged him to do. He was afraid of our influence. Apparently, he also did not want Draco to have any weaknesses since they could have been used against him. And if they grew older, it was without a doubt that Bianca would've become his weakness," said Rebecca, her eyes turning dark. Ginny didn't miss the anger in her voice and at that, she felt her heart going out to her. "Unfortunately, with Lucius' demented but scheming mind, he saw this as an opportunity to gear Draco up. He encouraged the friendship, getting them closer as ever. Then when the friendship deepened, he killed her, in front of his son." 

Ginny gasped with horror. It was terrible! _"Lucius was the devil himself!" her brain hissed. She shut her eyes momentarily as memories of Bianca's death whizzed inside her head. Lucius was not cruel. She thought. He was ruthless! He gave Draco a childhood trauma, one that couldn't be easily forgotten. He was the one who taught Draco to hate! He was the one who taught him to be harsh and cruel! He made what Draco what he was! At that, anger rose within her. Was Vladimir aware about this? She strongly wished that that monster was alive right now so that she could kill him with her bare hands!_

"How did you know all this?" Ginny asked horrified. "How did you know of his plans?"

"I saw right through him," the other woman replied shortly. "But nobody listened. After all, I was just eight." She stopped and took a deep breath. "He did not only kill my sister, he killed my whole family. I think it was Voldemort's order, though I don't have any idea as to why he would order Lucius to finish my whole family off!" continued Rebecca bitterly. "I was the only who survived. After that, things were never the same again."

"Where did you go after all that?" Ginny suddenly asked.

Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "We were talking about Draco, not me," she replied sharply. "I never saw Draco again. Never made an attempt." 

Upon hearing that, Ginny would've nodded as a sign of acceptance but her ears perked up when she noted the sentimental tone of her voice. Her suspicions deepened when she saw the subtle sparkle of her eyes. She shook her head slowly. "You love him don't you?" she asked hoarsely. 

Rebecca's eyes widened with the sudden question. Then afraid that she had said too much, she immediately looked away, putting up her strong emotional barrier once again. "It was my sister that he loved," she said flatly. "He found nothing special in me."

"But— you were only eight! How can you even—" 

"That emotion knows no age, Virginia," said Rebecca. Then her face softened a little. "You're very much like Bianca, I see," she said quietly. _"I can't blame him for choosing you." For a moment there, Ginny saw a flicker of sadness in her eyes. _

"You've come after him then?" Ginny asked while looking at her sharply. It surprised her to find out that her blood was actually boiling with rage as jealousy and anger flared inside her. Then to Ginny's astonishment, Rebecca shook her head.

"What good would that do?" she replied enigmatically. Then she stood up without even bothering to finish her butterbeer. She was about to make her way towards the exit when she suddenly turned to Ginny. "You'd better beware Virginia," she said after a moment. "Beware of the people you trust." With that, Rebecca left seven Sickles on the table, took her wand out and disapparated before Ginny could ask her what she had meant.

==========

_"Beware of the people you trust."_

It was already near to midnight. Ginny stopped and let the brush down. She looked at her reflection thoughtfully, Rebecca's last words still ringing inside her head. What did she mean by it? She asked herself. Then she remembered her 'accidents.' The carriage, the poisoned coffee… So were they all connected then? If so, then who would want her dead? She shook her head. No, they were just accidents, nothing more. She firmly said to herself. The last thing that she wanted to do was to give herself a scare and worry the rest of her family. Just then, the door creaked open. She looked up only to see Draco walking inside, his hands automatically unbuttoning his collar. 

Ginny's thoughts immediately flew to him, remembering the horrid tale Rebecca had told her earlier. Her heart constricted with pain as her eyes followed him, going on about the room. _If Bianca had lived, what sort of man would Draco be now?_ She couldn't help herself from asking. Of course, if she had lived then she wouldn't be sitting here, dressed in her nightgown, getting ready for bed while watching her 'husband' unbuckling his belt. In spite of everything, she bit her lip upon noting the smooth, fluid grace Draco displayed before her. He was on his way to the bathroom, his shirt all unbuttoned, giving her a glimpse of his lean chest. 

"Grandfather will be going back to Malfoy Manor on the 27th," said Draco quite jovially as he entered the bathroom, unmindful of the look Ginny was giving him. He left the door ajar and Ginny could clearly see him taking his shirt off. "Seems like everything was already fixed up," he supplied as he exited the bathroom and made for the bed. He sat down without even bothering to put on something to cover his bare chest. He was currently slipping his shoes off his feet when when he noticed Ginny's unusual silence. He looked up only to see her looking at him blankly. His eyes narrowed. "I see you're getting ready for bed?" he asked noting the decent white night gown on her body. When Ginny smiled weakly at him, he frowned. "Come here," he said, patting the space beside him.

Without a word, Ginny stood up and made her way towards the bed. She was about to take a seat beside him when Draco suddenly pulled her to him, settling her on his lap. She didn't resist and before she could say anything, he immediately shushed her up by covering her lips with his. 

Ginny closed her eyes and let her body take control, burying herself in the haven of his kisses. She parted her lips immediately upon hearing him groaning with pleasure and before she could bring her hands to caress his hair, Draco immediately rolled over, settling her on the bed, pinning her beneath him.

He stared at her momentarily. Then he chuckled. "Early Christmas present?" he drawled, looking at her with mirth.

"What?" Ginny asked, confused, her body already feeling all warm. 

"With all the buttons and ribbons holding your night gown into place," he paused as his eyes roamed from her face to the rows and rows of buttons of her night clothes all lined up underneath his naked chest, "It would take me forever to take your clothes off you, you know. It would be like unwrapping a present with the giver going Spellotape happy."

Ginny laughed softly. Draco raised his eyebrows. "Ah, you dare laugh at me, Virginia?" he asked mildly.

"I always laugh at you," replied Ginny. 

Draco smirked arrogantly with the answer. "Let's see if you can laugh if I do this," he said as he prepared to kiss her neck. Just then, something inside Ginny snapped. Bracing her hands in front of her, she gently pushed him away. Draco frowned with confusion at the unusual reaction. 

"It's Christmas morning tomorrow and I don't want to stay up late," said Ginny sweetly.

"Then we'll do it real quick," said Draco urgently, bringing his lips onto hers again. Ginny laughed and stopped him again with her hands. 

"Everybody will be expecting us up early to open the presents," she said breathlessly. Then she looked down shyly. "I don't want them thinking and suspecting anything." She looked at him meaningfully.

"Let them think or suspect anything. It's legal. We're married," he drawled as he made another attempt to kiss her again. "And besides, I'm opening my present now, much earlier than they will," he added as his fingers began fumbling with the buttons of her nightgown.

"Draco," muffled Ginny against his lips. When Draco paid her no heed, she lightly brought her hands to his chest and pushed gently. "I want to talk."

At that, Draco stopped abruptly. He lifted his body and looked at her, confused. Was he hearing right? "You want to talk?" he asked in disbelief.

Ginny nodded. "Yes, I want to talk." Then she smiled sweetly. "Please," she added.

Seeing her smile, Draco rolled his eyes as he found himself giving in. "Fine," he finally said, rolling off her. "Talk."

Ginny smiled, turning sideways to him. Draco turned to her and not long after, an awkward silence settled over them. He cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows up at her questioningly.

"So," Ginny began. "How was your day?"

Draco frowned at her but not unkindly. "What?" he asked, surprised at the sudden question.

Ginny took a deep breath. This wasn't going as she had planned. "I said, how was your day?" she repeated.

"Okay, Virginia," said Draco, shaking his head. "What is this all about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Ginny cried with displeasure. "I was just merely asking you how your day was!"

Draco's frown deepened. He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly, wondering just what cock and bull his wife was up to now. There was something definitely going on. Spending those passionate two weeks with her under his sheets were enough to prove to him that Ginny wasn't at all up for talk every night just like him. He looked at her and sighed.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently. "Tell me."

Ginny cast her eyes down to hide her surprise. _"How the hell did he know something was wrong?" she asked herself looking at his softening gray eyes. His sensitivity touched her and without her knowing it, she smiled listlessly. Upon seeing that, he heaved another sigh and gently pulled her to him. She gladly obliged and decided to place her head on top of his abdomen. When Draco felt her snuggling closer, he chuckled and let his fingers knead through her silky hair._

"Your mother asked me earlier about you," said Ginny finally. A soft sigh escaped her lips upon feeling the lush movement of his fingers against her red tresses.

Draco nodded slowly. "Okay," he said slowly.

"Well, she— she asked me where you went," she said haltingly. Then she raised her head and looked at him sharply. "And I never felt so stupid all my life!" she exclaimed. She sat up and turned to him, her eyes narrowing into slits.

Draco's eyes widened with the sudden outburst, completely breaking the sweet and emotional spell between them. "What do you mean by that?" he asked. He reached out for her. "Ginny—"

"Don't 'Ginny' me!" she exclaimed, slapping his hand away. She just knew where that 'Ginny' and that tone of his voice would lead to. He never called her Ginny unless-- "She was expecting that I knew your whereabouts! I can't blame her! I'm your wife, after all, even if this is—"

Draco took a deep exasperated breath.

"I went to the Ministry of Magic and had a very strenuous meeting with the head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement which was your own brother, of course. Apparently, he didn't want any of my support and was strongly against Dumbledore's and Fudge's idea to appoint me as the new head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad since I have spent the last seventeen years of my life surrounded by Dark Magic. Dumbledore and Fudge thought that it would be such a splendid idea to let me handle the department since my knowledge about the Dark Arts and the different Dark Artifacts would be much of help," he paused and grinned at her. "Then I went to Gringgots, of course, taking care of the family's assets and liabilities. Did you know that my father actually has 2 Million Galleons worth of liabilities that I now have to pay? Though I don't have any idea where to get the money to pay for that. Then after lunch, I went to my scheduled appointment with your older brother, Percy, the Department of International Magical Cooperation to be exact, to learn more about what sort of trade is lucrative at a time like this. There, I told you everything. Happy now?" he finally asked, looking at her expectantly. 

But instead of nodding with satisfaction, Ginny turned away from him, her expression miserable. "Ron gave you a hard time?" she asked softly. 

The sudden question surprised Draco. He was actually expecting her not to care about what her brothers did to him, or maybe even feel happy he was being given the cold treatment. But here she was, feeling all sad and bothered. Taking a deep breath, he pulled her back to him but Ginny decided to lie sideways, facing away from him. Draco shook his head tiredly. He was kind of expecting a sweet and willing wife to come home to after a very tiring day. Interrogation was the last thing he needed right now. He was about to say something when Ginny heaved a sigh.

"And you have to take care of your father's liabilities too?" she asked. It actually surprised her to know that Draco could be so responsible when it came to their family's finances. It was actually not the Draco she met twelve years ago. 

He faced her and kissed her shoulder. "Well, let's see, um… considering that I'm his only son then yes, I think you're right," he replied with mild sarcasm. With that, Ginny turned to him, frowning with annoyance. He grinned. "I finally made you look," he said.

Ginny's frown deepened. "Doesn't it bother you at all?" she asked noting the confident tone of his voice. It seemed that he wasn't even troubled about this though it was all clear that the Malfoy's were currently facing a financial crisis, that it was Vladimir who was currently keeping their heads afloat as of that moment.

"If I think that way then how the hell could I get through this," replied Draco arrogantly. "Worrying won't be as helpful as really-doing-something-about-the-problem, Virginia."

"Then why don't you—" she stopped and bit her lip. She was about to suggest that he go to his Grandfather for a loan or something but she was so sure that that suggestion would start a stupid argument between them. She knew how Draco loathed his Grandfather. No way would he ask for his help. She shook her head. No, it wasn't not a good idea. Then she thought about the 201 Million Galleons that she would be getting. 

The thought made her frown. 

Actually, it baffled her about Draco's reaction to the changing of the will. He seemed calm and unaffected, and as much as possible, he didn't talk about it. Other than Draco was always going out, making it impossible for her to see and spend a whole day with him, it was just a simple sharp drop-the-subject-look he used to give her everytime they were together. But somehow, she clearly saw that Draco was really displeased with what his grandfather did. 

Ginny didn't like Vladimir's sudden decision either. What would she do with all that money without someone special to share it with? What good would it bring to her? She had never been a big fan of money or expensive and luxurious fineries. She wasn't used to lavish things. Growing up being a 'Weasley' taught her that. She vowed to do something about it. She would get her fair share and give the rest to Draco. After all the kindness Vladimir had shown her, she didn't think that it would be fair to rob him off his hard-earned fortune. Of course she had to be careful in order for Vladimir not to know. That man was wise when it came to 'cunning plans'. It would cause her and Draco a great deal of trouble if she were caught. It also made her wonder what Draco was planning to do about that.

_"Maybe I could give him some of it?" she thought. But remembering their situation, she was forced to rule that one out. Draco was a stubborn and proud man. It would kill him to have his 'wife' helping him out with the financial difficulty. He was brought up with the belief that men did the earning while women did the spending, which she thought was very absurd and disgustingly chauvinistic. __"How medieval can you get?" she said to herself. No, offering that would just result to another stupid fight between them. Besides, the very thought of that money made her remember the deal she had with him. And it slightly pained her though she couldn't fathom why._

"What are you thinking?"

Ginny blinked upon hearing his soft but inquiring voice. She focused her attention back to him and shook her head. "Nothing," she replied softly.

Draco frowned. "I thought you wanted to talk?" he said.

"I do," said Ginny.

"Then why won't you tell me what you're thinking?" Draco asked. "Tell me," he coaxed.

Ginny, as her reply, looked down. She saw his right hand and without thinking, she took it with hers, bringing it up a little closer to her face just to stare at it as if it was the normal thing to do. Draco frowned with the sudden gesture. He wasn't expecting her to do that but nevertheless he didn't stop her. He looked at her face and was surprised to see her eyebrows wrinkling with mild concentration. The surprise turned to astonishment when he saw her own fingers sliding in between his. Again, the warm feeling swelled inside his chest. He took a deep breath and moved his fingers slowly against hers, feeling the soft texture of her skin and wondering how lovely and dainty they were.

Ginny bit her lip when she felt his fingers move with hers. It was a slow, learning caress just like hers. She had always loved his hands. Other than the fact that they felt good against her body, they were unusually soft and he had these long elegant fingers which were quite uncommon for a man to have. She let her eyes roam around his hand only to see the gold band on his ring finger. Her eyes then went to her own hand and saw the same ring on it. It was a sign that they were married, an evidence that she was his, even for a short period of time. An unknown fear immediately washed over her at the thought. A man like Draco could hurt her deeply. Unless she was careful, he and this temporary arrangement could easily destroy her. Ginny was about to tear her hand away from his when suddenly Draco brought it against his lips, worsening the fear even more.

"So how was it like growing up with six brothers?" he asked in between kissing her fingers, totally unaware of the emotions battling inside her head.

"Well, it— it was fun," she stammered. She was having a hard time concentrating considering that she was currently feeling his smooth lips against her skin, "and lonely at the same time."

Draco's brows crinkled, his lips finally stopping. "Lonely?" he asked curiously. 

Ginny nodded. "Well, I am, after all, the only girl," she replied softly. "It was really hard making friends, at least for me. Ron was too busy saving his skin, just like Harry and Hermione. I hardly knew Bill and Charlie at all since they moved out even before I could say Alohomora while Fred and George were busy pulling pranks on people. And Percy was the coldest of all. Sometimes he would tend to forget that he had brothers, so who would expect him to remember his sister too," she paused and shook her head thoughtfully. "It was lonely because I had a hard time dating when I was still going to Hogwarts. Ron, Fred and George were always there to slug any guy who wanted to ask me out." Then she laughed softly. "But it was fun," she added. "I would never, ever trade them for anything in the world." She turned to Draco. "How about you?" she asked. "How was it living with no brothers or sisters?"

"Well," he paused and decided to pull her to him. Ginny willingly rested her head on his chest, urging herself to forget the thought of him hurting and destroying her. Now that he was opening up a bit, nothing mattered but this moment… well, at least for now. "It was fun and lonely at the same time," he finally finished.

Ginny looked up and frowned. "Are you mocking me?" she asked with light irritation.

"No," said Draco philosophically. Ginny once again settled her head on his chest and listened. "It was really fun because I got to have anything I wanted. I had dozens and dozens of servants waiting at my beck and call and I got to boss people around all the time." He chuckled when he saw Ginny's eyebrows crinkle with disgust. "Oh and I got to have all the women I wanted," he suddenly added. "Then I— ow!" He frowned as Ginny pinched him hard on his stomach. "That hurt, you know!" he cried.

Ginny just smiled at him pleasantly. Then her face softened. "Why lonely?"

"Need you ask?" Draco answered while rubbing his reddening skin. "I mean, it was obvious, right?"

"Don't you have any—" Ginny abruptly stopped upon remembering Rebecca and Bianca. She looked at Draco and desperately weighed her question. 

"Have any what?" asked Draco. 

Ginny stared at him quite stupidly. She couldn't think of anything good or proper to say! She was terribly afraid of spoiling this moment by bringing up his painful past! As her answer, Ginny raised her head and quickly rested her lips on top of his instead. 

Although the sudden decision to kiss him pleased Draco, it confused him too. He mustered up all his willpower to tear his lips away from her eager ones. He looked at her wonderingly. "I thought you wanted to talk?" he asked, chuckling.

Ginny brought her lips on his once again. Well, she did but right now… "I changed my mind," she muffled against his lips, her hands already going down, down… 

Draco smiled against her kisses. He hissed with pleasure upon feeling her hands already unbuttoning his trousers. It never did occur to him that she could be aggressive if she wanted to. It pleased him. "Now you're talking," he drawled as he easily shifted her beneath him and covered her body with his.

==========

"They looked up and saw a star,  


shining in the east beyond them far,  
And to the earth it gave great light  


And so it continued both day and night…"

Molly smiled upon hearing Fred, George and Sylvia singing the beautiful carol that Christmas night. Any moment now, Ginny and Draco, together with his mother and his grandfather, would be coming for dinner. She thought. The idea of seeing her daughter excited her as she quickly arranged the dinner table, laying all the scrumptious food she had prepared. Just then she frowned upon hearing Fred and George belting out the song as Sylvia laughed. She turned to them, her eyebrows set in disapproval.

"Now, George stop changing the lyrics," she scolded.

"Changing the lyrics, mum?" George asked while Fred and Sylvia laughed and giggled. "I haven't changed anything."

Molly just shook her head and sighed. "Boys!" she thought. "When will they grow up?"

"Aunt Wheezy?" the little girl suddenly asked, looking around. Fred stood and picked Sylvia up as George went on ahead of them to torment Percy.

"Ginny will be here any moment now, Sylvia," he said as they made their way towards the sitting room. He put the girl down. When her little feet touched the floor, Sylvia immediately ran towards the fireplace and eagerly reached for the big stockings hanging from it. 

Fred looked around to find the rest of the family before him. Bill, Charlie and his father were busy studying the manual of his newest Muggle purchase, a car. Ron and Hermione were there, just before the fireplace, busy keeping their daughter from getting hold of the candies. Hermione was casting a charm to keep the stockings out of Sylvia's reach while Ron was busy holding the wriggling and crying girl in his arms. Fred's eyes turned towards the other corner only to see Bill's eleven year old son, Robert, waving and swishing his wand before Percy's two girls, Miranda and Patrice, probably demonstrating his first learned magic. Just beside them were Percy and George. He chuckled when he saw Percy's disgusted expression and George's hysterical face. 

Apparently, Percy didn't think the Weasley Christmas Crumbling Crusts funny since he was gagging and spitting out the tiny surprise they had put in it, edible slugs. Jane and Grace, however were busy watching out for Robert incase he did something wrong while Fleur was busy swishing her wand, changing the color of the tinsels of the Christmas tree, her pretty face set in hard concentration. It seemed like she couldn't decide on what color to use, blue or pink or yellow— Fred shook his head. Hopeless, really. Now, the only missing was their baby sister, Ginny, and Harry, of course. Christmas wouldn't be complete without Harry. 

"You call that thing edible!" Percy exploded as he walked towards the coffee table to help himself with some tea to drown out the bitter aftertaste of the crust.

"It **is** edible!" exclaimed George, following him. 

"Well, it doesn't **taste** edible!" Percy shot back. "It tastes horrible! It tastes like slugs!"

"They ARE slugs!" George spat at him. "What else would they taste like, duh!"

"Oh quit your whining, Percy," said Bill, looking up from the car manual. "You always fall for their tricks anyway. Haven't you gotten used to it by now?"

"Either way, they will kill children by selling that-- that horrible thing!" Percy said, his voice rich with authority. He looked daggers at the tricky Christmas treats sitting quietly on top of the fireplace.

"Hey! Our stuff isn't horrible!" Fred said. "That feeds and clothes us, you know! That pays for the bills!"

"Yeah!" George seconded. "It's edible! It won't kill any kids!"

"Gents, please," intervened Percy's wife, Jane. She stood up and held out another cup for her husband. "Here, honey, drink this. It'll take the aftertaste away." Then she looked at the twins and winked. _"That's a good one," she mouthed for Percy not to hear. Fred and George laughed. _

Just then, Molly emerged from the kitchen. She looked around and waved her hand in the air. "Boys!" she called out. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George and Ron all looked at her direction wonderingly. When Molly was sure she got their attention, she nodded. "Come into the kitchen please, I have something to say." And with that, she turned around and disappeared to the kitchen.

Bill and Charlie looked at each other questioningly, shrugged and reluctantly let go of the manual while Ron let out a soft but irritated 'what now' and gave the now sober Sylvia to his wife. He followed his two elder brothers into the kitchen while Fred and George decided to stay and gossip about Percy a little longer.

"Until now, I can't help but wonder just what did Jane like about Percy?" Fred hissed at George.

"Yeah, she has a great sense of humor," George hissed back. "Totally different from Percy the Prefect."

"I heard that," said Percy as he walked past them. He made his way towards the kitchen. "Come on, mum's calling for us," he added sternly.

Fred and George both rolled their eyes and made for the kitchen. Once inside, Molly beckoned for them to sit. George sat beside Ron while Fred took the empty seat beside Bill. As a result, all the six grown men were all looking up, facing their mother, just like when they were still children. Molly cleared her throat.

"Now, I want everything clear," Molly began looking at the awaiting expressions of her sons before her. "You all know that Ginny will be, of course, bringing her husband with her, right?" Nods and murmurs of approval rang inside the kitchen except for Ron, who crossed his arms and frowned. Molly cleared her throat softly. "I know some of you were not actually into the idea of your sister marrying Draco Malfoy," she stopped and gave Ron a sharp look. Ron shrugged and looked away while subtly making faces, "but please take note that tonight's Christmas. Don't do or say anything to ruin this night especially for your sister, understood?"

"Mum!" Bill lamented. "Now that's totally insulting for Charlie and me. Since when did we do or say something wrong to Draco or to his family?"

"He's right. You're treating us like children," added Charlie. "We're grown men for goodness sake!"

"Then prove it!" Molly shot back, giving the sulking Ron another sharp look. "Do you all understand?"

Percy was the first one to answer. "Yes, mother," he said clearly.

"Yeah, all right," Fred and George murmured. Just then, Fred stood up and faced their mother. "Can we go now?"

"Ron?" Molly asked, turning to Ron's direction. Ron merely nodded as his answer. Molly shook her head. "Ronald Weasley!"

"Yes, mother," Ron said sighing tiredly. 

At that Molly nodded, finally satisfied. She was about to take her wand out when she suddenly heard Sylvia's excited shriek. Ginny and Draco had arrived. She quickly took her apron off and made for the kitchen door. She turned around once, her eyes narrowing. "Remember what we talked about, boys," she said warningly. When she heard the tired sighs and murmurs of agreement, she then continued on her way, her sons following close behind.

==========

"Aunt Wheezy!" Sylvia squealed as she ran towards Ginny. Ginny laughed and lifted the little girl up into her arms.

"Hi Sylvia!" she exclaimed while raining the little girl's face with kisses. Then she turned to Draco. "Say hi to your uncle, dear," she coaxed. Draco's eyes widened.

"Hello Uncle Wheezy!" Sylvia greeted while giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Ginny laughed while Draco's eyes nearly went out of their sockets. He just stood there and smiled, not sure of what to say or do. Meanwhile, loud laughter boomed behind them, Sylvia looked past him only to see Vladimir and Narcissa taking their coats off. At the sight of the older man, Sylvia wriggled out of Ginny's arms and ran towards Vlad. "Malfy and Cissy!" she squealed.

"Malfy?" Ginny frowned.

"Cissy," added Draco looking as confused as Ginny.

"Ha! She called me Malfy!" Vladimir roared with laughter as he tossed the little girl up into the air. Narcissa laughed with her new name as well, her beautiful face shining while watching Sylvia giggling with delight. 

"It's good to see you again, dear." Ginny turned around only to see her mother walking towards them, her arms outstretched. She smiled and accepted the big hug her mother offered her. "Merry Christmas, honey," she added giving Ginny a kiss.

"Merry Christmas to you too, mum," she greeted. Molly then turned to Draco only to see him shaking hands with Arthur. When she caught his eye, Molly smiled kindly at him. "And you too dear," she said.

Draco slightly bowed his head. "Merry Christmas mother," he politely said.

"Molly, it's nice to see you!" greeted Narcissa while giving Ginny's mother a hug. "How's everything?"

"Oh fine," said Molly pleasantly.

"Need any help in the kitchen?" inquired Narcissa. "I'd be willing to help out and learn. Maybe you could show me some of your recipes," Draco's mother added as she led the other woman to the kitchen. 

Ginny shook her head as the two women disappeared into the kitchen. She turned around only to see Arthur shaking hands with Vladimir and Draco shaking hands and greeting her brothers except Ron who disappeared somewhere. Seeing that everybody was busy, she made her way to the ladies.

"Ginny!" Grace exclaimed standing up. "Merry Christmas!"

"Hi! Merry Christmas all!" Ginny greeted as Hermione moved to give space. Ginny then plopped herself down on the couch, next to Hermione.

"So, how's married life going?" Jane suddenly asked.

"Fine," replied Ginny. She looked at Draco who was now busy conversing with Bill and Charlie. "Great, so far." 

"With a 'usband as good lookin' as zat?" Fleur exclaimed. She let her eyes roam appreciatively over Draco's black turtleneck sweater and matching black trousers. Earlier, Fleur noted that he was wearing a long black trench coat instead of a cloak and he never looked so damn sexy. "Of course, everything 'ould be fine!"

"Oh hush now, Fleur," said Grace. "It's not like yours is not as good-looking as Ginny's."

At that, Fleur gave out one of her veela smiles and giggles. "Of course! Bill is 'andsome!" she said loudly. At the mention of his name, Bill looked at their direction only to meet Fleur's adoring gaze. He winked and Fleur giggled again. Ginny shook her head. Fleur was still the same veela she knew. Then she looked at Ginny, her eyes widening. "Oh my! Zat is a very pretty necklace, Ginny!" she exclaimed looking at the string of pearls around her neck. 

"Oh this!" Ginny said, her fingers settling on the necklace. "Narcissa gave it to me for Christmas."

"That's so lovely," Jane gushed as she lightly brought her fingers against the smooth surface of the pearls. "It goes well with your earrings."

"I bet it costs a fortune!" Grace added noting the creamy beige-white color of the necklace. 

"So what did Draco give you?" Hermione asked curiously. "How many gifts did he give you?"

"Well, he gave me a mini vanity set," replied Ginny thoughtfully. _"Of course not counting the early Christmas present he gave me the night before," she thought, her face suddenly getting all warmed up. After giving her vanity set away, Draco replaced it by giving her another set. She could still remember how thrilled she was that Christmas morning. They opened their presents over mugs of hot chocolates and they didn't give a rat's ass about scattering all the wrappers messily on the sitting room's flawless carpet. _

From Draco, she received a new vanity set, a string of pearls from Narcissa, tons and tons of Swiss chocolates to last her a lifetime from Vladimir and her mom's traditional Christmas fudge that Vladimir and Draco ate without asking. She found herself grinning upon remembering how Vladimir nearly jumped for joy when he opened her Christmas gift. Sitting before him was the complete set of Buffy the Vampire Slayer paperbacks that he had so badly wanted. Of course she knew all along even before he hinted about it. Indeed, she never expected to have a wonderful Christmas with Draco and his family.

"Really?" Hermione asked with disbelief. She just couldn't believe that Draco would give her something so— common as a vanity set. Well, considering how rich Draco was— But then, it wasn't really her business, right?

Meanwhile, Draco looked behind him only to see Ginny sitting there, laughing with the ladies. When she met his eyes, she raised her eyebrows questioningly, inquiring if he was fine. Surprisingly, the sweet gesture brought another light but warm feeling inside. Draco winked and gave her a reassuring grin. He chuckled upon seeing the light pink tints on her cheeks. He momentarily slid his left hand into his pocket and felt for the cold metal against his fingers. 

Earlier, after giving him his Christmas present, Ginny then handed him her rose pin, her second gift. When Draco asked her why she was giving her family heirloom to him, she told him that it was only fitting for him to have it since she had the Malfoys'. Although he thought it absurd, still he couldn't shake the funny feeling off when his eyes first laid on the brooch. He felt an unexplainable something to hold it, to feel it against his skin. He couldn't tear himself away from it so he even brought it here with him.

"I see father and your grandfather's having the time of their life going all through his Muggle things," said Bill suddenly upon noting Arthur leading the nodding Vladimir into his study.

"It seems," was all he said. Then he gave a satisfied sigh when he felt the rose pin safely inside his pocket. Just then, the doorbell rang. Hermione stood up to open the door. She exclaimed. "Harry! Come in, come in! Merry Christmas!"

"Ah finally, we'll eat," said Bill while going towards the door with Charlie following close behind. Draco frowned, not sure of what to do. Sensing his discomfort, Ginny immediately stood up and placed herself beside him. Looking up at him, she smiled and lightly squeezed his hand. 

"Merry Christmas!" Harry greeted as he stepped inside the house with his little son behind. Bill and the rest greeted and shook his hand while the ladies gave him and Nathan a hug. When the choruses of greetings finally subsided, Harry looked up and met Ginny's eyes. He took a sharp in take of breath upon seeing Draco standing beside her, eyeing him warily. He then made his way towards the couple, letting Nathan run along with Sylvia.

"Merry Christmas, Ginny," he greeted cordially. Ginny nodded as her greeting. She forced out a smile upon feeling the rising strain in the air. Harry turned to Draco and merely nodded in acknowledgement. "Malfoy."

"Potter," said Draco stiffly nodding as well. Obviously, both their families were not aware of the fistfight they had had during the engagement party. It was quite clear that both Draco and Harry wanted to keep everyone in the dark about that since they forced themselves to act all civil and starchy polite to each other.

"All right! Everybody's complete! Let's eat!" George hollered. At that, everybody trooped towards the dining hall with the rest of the ladies bringing their sons and daughters with them. Harry turned around and without a word, followed Fred, leaving them alone.

Ginny leaned towards Draco. Sensing her, he bent down slightly. "You all right?" Ginny whispered in his ear before they took their seats beside Grace and Charlie. "Ever since we graduated, Harry now spends Christmas with us." 

Draco let out a chuckle. "Of course," he replied but in truth, the sight of Ginny's large family overwhelmed him. He never expected that a large number of people could fit in so nicely inside their modest dining room _"Probably with a little magic," he surmised looking at the happy and laughing faces before him. _

They started the Christmas dinner noisily with the children giggling and squabbling and with a number of hands passing each dish here and there. Although it was very clattery, still Draco didn't miss the merry and warm ambiance around him. It was all around the room that he found it contagious. Conversations were light and pleasant and there was always a laugh at each sentence. A subtle rush of envy rushed inside him. Ginny was lucky to have a happy family.

He looked up and saw his grandfather chatting noisily away with Arthur Weasley about Muggle elevators while his mother was busy talking to Molly about the latest recipes and fashions. He noticed that ever since he married Virginia, Narcissa had been laughing a lot lately. It pleased him. His mother deserved more than that. He thought. 

"Could you pass me the sauce, Draco?" Ginny asked suddenly as she put her knife down. Draco blinked and turned to her.

"Of course," he replied as he reached for the sauce and handed it to her, his fingers brushing against hers lightly.

Ginny smiled. "Thanks," she said warmly. She was about to pour the flavoring on her turkey when she caught sight of Draco's plate. She looked up at him only to see him busily eating his. "It'll taste good with the sauce," she said after a moment, raining her dinner with the dark brown liquid.

Draco swallowed and shook his head. "I prefer it this way," he replied, lifting his wineglass and taking a tiny sip. 

Ginny shook her head and started cutting a small portion of her own turkey. Then without thinking, she held it up before him. "Here, have a taste," she said. Draco eyes slightly widened with the gesture. Ginny laughed. "Come on, I promise you it won't kill you."

With that, he shook his head, opened his mouth and let Ginny place the piece of meat inside his mouth as if he didn't have any choice. He chewed slowly, his face lightening. Seeing that, his wife laughed. "Tastes good?" she asked, taking a bite as well.

"Brilliant," he said as he took a spoonful of sauce and scattered it evenly on his dinner. Just then he leaned towards her. "I really don't like the look Potter's kid has been giving you," he whispered jokingly.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked after swallowing her food. She looked at Nathan only to see him staring adoringly at her. When her brown eyes met his green ones, he let out a sweet and shy smile.

"Look, he's coming onto you," teased Draco, nudging her. 

Ginny laughed. "Stop it, he's just a kid," she replied, shaking his head. "He's a sweet boy and I like him."

"I see I've got some tight competition," said Draco lightly. Then he looked around. "Now, I've seen the dining room," he paused and turned to her, his silver eyes sparkling with mischief. "Perhaps later on you could show me your bedroom?"

Ginny laughed and shook her head. "No, we're going to enjoy this night in front of the fire with my whole family," she replied. 

"Fine, " murmured Draco. "But don't think that I'll let you off the hook that easily later on, Virginia," he quickly added.

At this, Ginny bit back a laugh, shook her head and decided to ignore him. She looked up and noticed Harry staring at them, his expression unreadable, ignoring the lively conversation between Ron and Fred about brooms and Quidditch. He was sitting across from her, beside Ron and Hermione. She bit her lip, her eyes not leaving his green ones only to notice them narrowing behind his round glasses. She looked away. Had he been staring at them? She found herself asking. She suddenly felt uncomfortable.

Not long after, the dinner finally ended. Arthur, Bill, and Vladimir decided to go into the garage to have a close look at the Arthur's newly purchased car. Hermione and the rest of the ladies went to the sitting room to have coffee and tea, discussing trifle housewife matters while Charlie and Percy talked about the new laws set up by the Ministry for the Protection of Magical Beasts. Ginny was whisked away by the children to have a story telling up in her room with George secretly giving Robert, Sylvia and Nathan a hefty supply of _Exploding Snaps should they decide to rouse things up a bit. ("I will not have those exploding inside my room!" Ginny fiercely declared.) while the rest of the men, Harry, Ron, Draco and the twins went on to discuss news and Quidditch over a game of cards._

"Never did expect to see a broom faster than the Firebolt," quipped George suddenly while busy scrutinizing Fred's cards. Then he turned to Harry. "I've heard that the Ballycastle Bats have the newest Firebolt 360."

"Quite unbelievable!" Fred exclaimed as he threw a card at the middle of the table. "They've become as unbeatable as ever!" Then he turned to Draco who was busy minding his own cards. "I heard that your family has a vast collection of broomsticks. Is that true?"

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Well, yes, considering that my whole family is a big fan of Quidditch," he replied as he threw a single card and took another one from the deck. "But I have far more important things to do than to continue that legacy of collecting," he added simply.

"Like what?" Ron asked sharply as his hands busily arranged his cards. "Like going to Knockturn Alley?" he added nastily.

Draco looked up while Fred and George awkwardly cleared their throats upon feeling the rising tension in the air. Harry let out a snort, ignoring Ron's sharpening tongue. 

"Don't deny it, Malfoy," spat Ron viciously. "Everybody saw you strutting in and out of Knockturn Alley."

Draco took a deep breath, his left hand on his chin while his right holding the cards. "Well, I'm not denying anything," he said calmly, refusing to be provoked. Then he threw a couple of chips in the middle. "I'll raise you," he said to Fred. 

Ron turned to him, expecting for him to elaborate the vague answer. When nothing came out of his lips, Ron gritted his teeth angrily. "What's the matter, Malfoy?" he asked. "Can't tell us your dark, evil plans?" he asked meanly while Harry sat there silently, letting Ron do the talking.

Draco let out a charismatic but even smile, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Surely, you've been reading too much of your work in the Ministry to even think that I would do something as absurd as that," he answered coolly.

Fred and George eyed each other nervously. Just then Fred let out a loud laugh. "Boy, I'd sure like to see Angelina Johnson!" he said loudly, desperately wanting to change the subject. "I haven't seen her since she decided to play for Holyhead Harpies!"

"You're not fooling anyone, Malfoy," said Ron darkly, ignoring Fred's attempt to keep the game as friendly as possible. "Everybody knows you have a cursed blood flowing inside your veins."

"If that's what you believe then I can't do anything about it," replied Draco. 

Just then, Harry let out a soft snort. "Like father, like son," he murmured, loud enough for the four men to hear.

With that, Draco's temper snapped. He turned to Harry, his eyes glowing with unexplained fury. "Don't you ever, ever say that again," he rasped at Harry dangerously. "Don't ever compare me with him! I'm far more different from that man!"

Harry smirked. He threw his cards on the table and stood up without even finishing the game. "You want to settle this outside, Malfoy?" he asked, his voice taunting him.

Draco's eyes narrowed as he threw the rest of his cards on the table. He stood up with Fred immediately holding up his hands to stop them and George busy urging the sneering Ron to stop Harry.

"Didn't you learn your lesson yet, Potter?" asked Draco acidly, referring to the Engagement Party incident. When Harry eyed him angrily, Draco shook his head. "No, it's not worth it," he murmured as he turned around. The least thing that he wanted was to start another brawl in front of his grandfather and Ginny's whole family on Christmas night. He was about to walk away from them when he suddenly felt a loud thud inside his chest. _"Ginny!" his brain hissed. He looked up, his eyes frantically landing on Ginny's door. His heart gave another loud thud. "Ginny!" he suddenly yelled, running towards her room, much to the surprise of everybody. He gritted his teeth as he strode towards the stairs. He felt her! He felt her fear! She was in danger!_

"What's the matter?" Molly called after Draco's running form. "Draco!" she cried as the rest of the adults stood up and murmured wonderingly. When she saw the frantic look on his face, she ran after him, with Ron and Harry following close behind him. 

Just then, screams came from Ginny's room. Children's screams. Draco swore out loud and kicked the door open. "Ginny!" he yelled looking around. Instantly, the children stopped and looked at him, terrified. He heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing the children all fine. 

"Ginny?" he called out, entering her room while Sylvia and the rest of the girls began to cry. Just then, he stopped. Standing before him, against the wall was Ginny, her eyes wide because of the shock with three knives sticking on the wooden partition behind her. For a moment there, he thought that she had been stabbed but when looked at her closely, there were two just beside her ears and one at the head, forming a deadly triangle. Judging from the small distance of the knives from her face, Draco surmised that if Ginny hadn't moved, it would have surely finished her off. He heaved a sigh of relief as Hermione led the children out. 

"Ginny," he said again softly upon seeing her lower lip shaking. 

"Draco?" she whispered upon hearing the soft, familiar voice inside her head. "Draco is that you?"

"Yes," he replied. "Come here, everything's fine now."

At that, Ginny lost the fight and broke into tears, the tension, the fear, and the shock crashing at her all at once. She willingly surrendered herself to his strong embrace and cried.

"Shh, everything will be all right," said Draco soothingly. He kissed her hair and tightened his arms around her upon feeling her body trembling. "Ginny, I'm here."

"They just flew at me— at the same time, out of nowhere--," said Ginny in between her tears, her voice shaking. "The children? Did—did—"

"No, they are all fine," replied Draco. Then he turned around only to meet Molly's near-to-crazy look. "She's fine, mother," he said. He then easily lifted her up and placed her on the bed. 

Molly finally let out a relieved sigh. "Let her rest first," she said while forcing Ron and Harry out of the room, much to Ron's displeasure. The last thing that Ginny needed was to have everybody fussing frantically over her. "Call me if you need anything." And with that, she stepped out and gently closed the door behind her.

Once alone, Draco sat beside her small bed. He heaved the blankets up to her chin and held her hand. Ginny didn't protest, the feel of his hand against hers brought comfort and security within her. She closed her eyes and not long after drifted off to a tired sleep, the harrowing experience wearying to her.

Seeing her already fast asleep, Draco turned his attention back at the knives sticking out of the wall and stared at it thoughtfully. Was Ginny in danger? Who would do such a thing? He shook his head. It was not an accident anymore… Everything was not making any sense at all! The carriage, the poisoned coffee, now this? He looked away grimly, the horrible truth sinking in. 

Who would want Virginia dead? 

End of Part 11

**A/N: The ****Puffskein, Runespoor and Sea Serpent were from ****Newt Scamander's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find ****Them. ****Puffskeins are spherical and harmless creatures that have nothing against from being tossed and cuddled around. Cool pet! I really think that it would be nice to give ol' Vlad a pet even for a short while ^_~ **

The **Holyhead Harpies and the ****Ballycastle Bats are from ****Kennilworthy Whisp's Quidditch Through the Ages. I sort of figured out that ****Angelina Johnson would definitely go for professional Quidditch. The ****Holyhead Harpies are, by the way, the only Quidditch team composed of witches.**

The **Firebolt 360** was from me. ^__^ Not very original if you ask me ::lol::

The **Xiphias Potion** was also my own concept but I got the word **Xiphias** from **FFVIII**. It was a painting of a fish… I kinda derived the concept from that.

Believe it or not, we have **Buffy the Vampire Slayer paperbacks being sold here. ::shrugs:: but I haven't read a single one of those. I'm watching the series though.**

Another thing, the novels of **Jostein Gaarder rock! I'm sure some of you have read ****Sophie's World? That's my favorite. I really think, judging from Draco's persona here, books by ****Gaarder would suit him well. Well, that's me thinking ::shrugs::**

And lastly, **Rebecca and Bianca Fairfax are my characters. I haven't read a single Anne Rice novel (I know it's a crime but I can't seem to find the time) Whoa! Does she really have a Bianca there with long, black hair and violet eyes?**

Anyway, disclaimers apply! I don't own them and most especially not making any money from them! So please don't sue! Please review ::waves:: Thanks!!! ^__^ 


	12. The Missing Necklace and The Evil Plots

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Author's Notes: Again, thanks to all the people who gave me fabulous reviews! My special thanks to my beta-readers, you know who you are! And to **Violetjersey **fortirelessly calling me only to check up on how I was doing! Thanks so much!!!

****

Alli-chan! I really loved your e-mail last time!!! And your Riven fic! Ooohh…. Now you got me! Write! Write! ^_^ Thanks so much for all the help and encouragement!

My very special thanks to **Fred** for giving me a very useful URL regarding Harry Potter's money conversion! I was really clueless about how much everything's worth in here! ::lol:: Thank you so much for being so resourceful and for caring for this fic so much! 

Thanks also to all the people who e-mailed me! Apart from the reviews, your personal e-mails also keep me going!

I hope everybody would be a little understanding about MY horrible Harry here. I admit I'm terrible when it comes to him. ::grins:: 

So far, that's about everything! I hope everybody will like this chapter!!! Took me almost a week to get everything done! Please review!!! Thanks so much!!! ^_^

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Serpent's Bride XII – The Missing Necklace and The Evil Plots

  


"Mr. Zabini will see you in a moment, sir."

Draco looked up to see the Zabini's butler standing before him, waiting for his reply. He took a deep breath and calmly nodded. "Fine," he answered.

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy. Please make yourself at home," the butler said before bowing and walking away from him, leaving him alone inside the vast Zabini sitting room. He sat down on one of the couches just before the cheerful fire. Crossing his long legs, he secretly wondered where Blaise could be. But then, he couldn't care less. He didn't even inform Blaise that he would be having a meeting with her father today in her house. He didn't know why, but he was definitely sure that he was in no mood to see her, even her shadow, as of now. 

His eyes roved from the fire to the crystal chandelier above his head, which was glistening and shining against the faint glow of the soft, orange blaze. His eyes then traveled to the antique glass cabinets lining the wall with miniature horses, dolls and carriages inside, all, no doubt, made of pure crystal. Then he noticed the comfortable looking couch just before the window. A soft humorless laugh escaped his lips as he remembered the many times they used to do 'it' there, unmindful of what the servants would think or say. As a matter of fact, now that he was thinking about it, they used to do 'it' anywhere in the house! That thought made him a little sick. How could he have been like that before?

__

"But why am I feeling this way?" he silently asked himself. Before, he wouldn't have cared if they had done it somewhere less secluded. Not that he was a sex-crazed maniac or something, but he used to enjoy the thrill of the possibility of being caught. He couldn't also say that he was reckless before. After all, he had been using protection and he didn't sleep with just anybody, although he did manage to deflower most of the Slytherins and a little bit of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs during his Hogwarts days… Well, not a single one of the Gryffindors but still-- _"What is happening to me?"_ he added as he felt himself starting those god-forsaken thoughts about Virginia once again. He took the rose pin out of his coat pocket and held it before him.

Lately he had been feeling this weird thing going on about inside him. He accepted the fact that that 'weird' thing started when he kissed Virginia the second time around. It actually shocked him to realize that it took him almost three months of bickering and bantering before she actually let him into her bed whereas it would only take him two or three dates, oftentimes just once, with any lady he chose. With Virginia, he realized that everything wasn't just about sex or physical contact. Everything was beyond that. They actually— they actually talked. That was the thing that he seldom did with anybody! But then, why was Virginia an exception? He frowned slightly at the very idea, his right hand settling under his chin, his eyes not leaving the brooch. 

He suddenly remembered that night when she suddenly held his hand for no reason. The very gesture brought a lot of unexplainable feelings inside him. New feelings. Yes, it was a physical contact but, unlike before, that physical contact had nothing to do with just having sex. It was very intimate. It was deeper. He admitted that before, he thought that any kind of physical touch meant just doing 'it.' That simple skin contact was just a not so polite way of initiating that 'thing.' Physical contact would eventually end in doing the 'sins of the flesh,' nothing more, nothing less. But— he momentarily shut his eyes. _"God, I can't believe how screwed up I was before to even think of such things!"_ he thought. It had never occurred to him that he was actually— well, shallow.

At that, realizations hit him full force. He suddenly found that during those three months that he spent with her, they were actually connecting emotionally, something that was hard to understand or to explain, something that he never did with anybody else. When they got married, made love for the first time, he felt himself connecting with her again, but this time, not only emotionally but also physically. It was like a joining of two bodies, two minds and two souls into one and he never felt anything like it before! It was an overwhelming feeling! Passion, desire, tenderness, lust, all put together! He never felt this with other women. It shocked him to finally realize that he wouldn't want anybody but Virginia from now on. Without him being aware of it, Ginny had already managed to turn his life around.

"Funny seeing you here before me after five years, Draco Malfoy."

Draco looked up abruptly, the deep voice shattering his thoughts. He hastily put the rose pin back inside his coat pocket and focused his attention on the tall and regal-looking man before him. When Draco's eyes met his, Draco stood up. Seeing the cold and unfriendly expression on the man's face, Draco decided against offering his hand. Instead, he regarded the old man with the same icy politeness that the older man was showing him.

"Victor Zabini," said Draco instead, nodding once.

Blaise's father took a deep but impatient breath. He strode across the room and sat on the single couch beside Draco. As if on cue, Draco sat back down and looked at him, his expression expectant, but foreboding. The old man cleared his throat noisily.

"Normally, I wouldn't associate myself with someone who turned his back on the Dark Lord," Victor started, his cobalt blue eyes roaming from his head to foot rather rudely. Draco didn't miss the subtle disgust in the man's eyes upon noting him wearing Muggle clothes, his dark gray Armani suit. He stared at him coolly, his silver eyes looking at him straight as if immuned to such kind of look. "But as I see it--,"

"You don't have much choice," Draco finished for him. He let out one of his Oscar-winning smirks. "It couldn't be helped, Victor," he added. He knew how desperate Victor was to sell his property, leave the country and start all over again. After the Dark Sorcerer's War, with Voldemort defeated, it didn't surprise him to find out that nobody was interested to buy a former Death Eater's property, even though the huge estate was indeed beautiful and highly lucrative. It actually made him wonder why his grandfather became suddenly interested with the Zabini's estate. What's more, why would he even send and trust him to do the transaction? He frowned thoughtfully. It was very, very peculiar.

Victor chose to remain silent, but his eyes narrowed evenly with subtle anger, acceptance dawning on him. After the fall of Voldemort, all of the Death Eaters suffered the same fate Lucius had. Some died but the ones who survived, including them, suffered the most. Like a snap, Victor Zabini suddenly found himself ripped off from his social standing in the wizarding world, hated by everybody and financially ruined. Death was better than this, he surmised. And now, looking at Lucius Malfoy's son, sitting a little away from him with cold confidence, all grown-up, having the same ruthlessness his father once had, made him curse mentally. He couldn't believe that the fourteen-year old boy he knew before was actually sitting here and buying him off! 

When Draco was sure that the man would not answer, he raised his eyebrows casually. "Now, let's get on to business, shall we?" he asked professionally.

Victor took a couple of breaths to calm his raging nerves. After a moment, he looked up and called for his butler. Draco tried to hide his amusement upon seeing the weary look on the man's face. At that moment, he felt powerful! Rich! More superior! He felt the same old feeling he used to feel way back when he was still a boy resurfacing once again and it never felt so wonderful! He knew it was cruel but he couldn't help it.

"You called, sir?" his butler asked as he positioned himself beside the couch's big armrest.

"Have the papers brought in here," ordered Victor. 

The servant momentarily settled his yes on Draco before nodding in agreement. "Very well, sir." And with that, his butler walked away from them. Once alone, Victor settled his eyes back at the younger man sitting across from him. Seeing the smug look on Draco's face, the old man's his brows crinkled with fury. 

"You were a terrible disappointment to your father, did you know that?" Victor asked, his voice calm but cruel. "The Dark Lord had high hopes for you."

"Voldemort was a damn twit for even trusting my father," said Draco simply, giving more emphasis on the name 'Voldemort.' Victor turned to him, aghast. 

"How dare you insult the Dark Lord in front of me!" Victor cried out, fuming. He pointed an accusing finger at him. "You! Who do you think you are to say those things about your father? Such a shame to have as a son! You cold-blooded, ungrateful—"

Draco smiled at him without mirth. "I'm sure my father would be so proud," he replied unemotionally. "After all, isn't that what he and the others like you taught me?" When Victor's eyes widened before him with silent disbelief, Draco let out a soft chortle. "I'm sure he would be jumping for joy in his grave right now, hearing me say those words."

Victor shook his head. "You could've been great!" he exclaimed. _"What a waste this boy was,"_ he thought. 

Draco Edward Malfoy, in his opinion, was the most promising young man in Voldemort's inner circle. Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe and the sons of the other Death Eaters were nothing compared to him. Draco had what it took to get to the top of Voldemort's league. He was the most talented, one of the best in his class. He was charismatic, blessed with good, striking looks. He had this unexplainable something that drew people to him, that made people listen. His very presence commanded respect, a respect mixed with fear. That was the sole reason why the Dark Lord favored him over the others, much to the dismay and jealousy of the other members. "You could've been one of the most powerful wizards in our society! In your time! Did you already forget that those who served him loyally would be rewarded greatly?"

"Which, I'm sure, you could very well relate to," he answered sarcastically. He smiled egotistically at his direction. "That is why you're sitting here across from me and are about to discuss the price of this," he stopped and let his eyes roam around the sitting room momentarily, "magnificent estate," he finally concluded. 

Realizing the truthfulness of the young man's reply shut Victor up. A tension-filled silence went about the room as he stared at Draco with undenied hatred. Then he smiled wickedly. "Don't be too smug about this, boy," he started. "It was Vladimir who had money. He's the one buying me off and not you!"

"That's quite true," said Draco without losing his cool. "It's also true that I will be inheriting all of his assets when the time comes." Then he gave him a winning smile. "Just think: why would my grandfather leave all his assets to me and not to his son?" he asked deliberately, pretending to be thoughtful about the matter. 

Victor opened his mouth and was about to say something hateful when his butler suddenly came in, bearing the papers with him. Draco's eyes followed the bunch of papers Victor took from his servant. It was, no doubt, his property's important deeds. Laying the parchments on top of the small table before them, Victor carefully leafed through it.

"We have come to the agreement that a good 37 million Galleons would be enough to pay for this property," said Victor while handing Draco several yellowed parchments. "I'm sure you have your quill and ink ready, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked after a moment.

"We'll see about that," said Draco as he took the papers Victor offered him. He let his back rest comfortably on the couch and started to read the documents, his face growing thoughtful by the minute while Victor sat there, waiting. After a moment, Draco smiled and placed the parchments down on the coffee table. "37 million Galleons is too much," he finally said, his face a mask of unknown emotions.

Victor frowned at this. "What do you mean?" he cried. When Draco regarded him silently, Victor Zabini swore. "You don't have any idea how lucrative this property is, boy. I would be damned if I let you have this in less than 37 million!" he added.

"The property is highly lucrative, yes. But I did an extensive study of this grounds, which, by the way, you didn't even bother stating here in your papers, and was actually shocked to find out that most of the lands have been untilled since God knows when. I can't deny that you have vast, rich fields here and it is a real pity that they've been ignored," said Draco, raising his eyebrows knowingly. "Other than that, the servant's quarters are terribly neglected, the stables near to ruin and your horses already dying. Now, I could go on and on about what needs to be done and believe me when I say that this could take us all day. Unless you give me your word that you fix everything first, I'd be willing to give you 37 million Galleons as payment, in full," he added shrewdly. 

Victor shook his head. "This is unbelievable!" he exclaimed. "Do you have any idea on how much it would cost me to get everything fixed up? That's the sole reason why I'm selling this place! I can't afford maintenance anymore!"

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that but unless you do something about it, nobody would be bloody stupid as to pay 37 million Galleons for a wreck like this," answered Draco calmly. "However, I'm willing to pay you 17 million, no fixtures needed." 

With that, Victor Zabini's eyes narrowed angrily. "Who do you think you are?" he asked, his voice rasping dangerously. "This estate had been in my family for years and years. How dare you tell me, to my face, that this place is a wreck!" he said loudly. Then he stood up and paced the room back and forth furiously. "Vladimir and I have already reached an agreement! Just what are you trying to prove, boy?"

"I'm not trying to prove anything, Mr. Zabini," replied Draco with icy confidence. "I'm just trying to get what's fair."

Victor snorted. "Fair? What do you know about fairness, Malfoy?" he asked bitterly.

"How about you?" Draco shot back at him cockily. "What do you and you're so-called 'friends' know about fairness?" When Victor regarded him silently, Draco smirked. "You'd be surprised at what those five years of disappearance taught me, Mr. Zabini. Believe me when I say that you wouldn't like hearing everything that I've learned." he quipped quietly.

"I'm not interested with your so-called enlightenment and your 17 million Galleons," the older man answered gruffly. "There are others who are willing to pay the price I'm asking for and—"

"Please save yourself from further embarrassment because I'm not falling for your bluff," Draco cut in coarsely. "Don't think that I don't know how desperate you are to sell this property, Mr. Zabini. Based from my observations, nobody's interested to buy a Death Eater's estate and frankly speaking, even I was baffled at my grandfather's sudden interest in your property whereas he could buy other lands other than yours." He gave him a twisted smile. "Either you take my offer or you spend the rest of your life living in a place like this where everybody despises you and your family." He stopped and took a deep breath. "17 million Galleons," he said while settling his fingers under his chin. "What will it be?"

At that, Victor Zabini sulked heavily as he sat on the couch facing the younger man. He heaved a defeated sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. Then he shook his head and reached for the ink and quill beside the folder containing the important documents. "I may sign these papers, boy, but they are against my wishes," he said, while lightly dipping the sharp end of the quill into the bottle of the black ink. Then he let his eyes roam around the huge sitting room momentarily. Draco didn't miss the light sadness his blue eyes betrayed. 

__

"You could've thought about that before you joined Voldemort's league," he thought silently as he watched Victor sign the documents with a flourish. After a moment, Draco took the same quill and signed his name on the dotted line, opposite Zabini's. "Done and done," he said while putting the quill down. He then brought the parchment to his face and lightly blew at the wet ink to dry.

When Draco started to place everything inside the folder, Victor turned to him with a rude smirk on his face. "You'll get what's yours, Malfoy," he said, his voice soft but menacing. "I swear you'll get what's yours someday."

Draco stood up. "No," he said while putting his heavy coat on, "YOU got what was yours, Victor." He shook his head while giving him a sorry sort of smile. "It is always a pleasure doing business with you."

With that, Draco turned around and made his way towards the estate's huge doors, leaving the ruined older man sitting there, his hands covering his face in desolation and anger.

==========

__

I really hope that you're feeling all right. To tell you honestly, mother and I missed your presence in the dining hall terribly. Of course I can't say what Draco's say about this is but please be rest assured that he, once in a while, asks about you.

Ginny stopped her writing and momentarily took her fork and cut a tiny piece of the sweet chocolate cake resting on top of Draco's writing desk just beside her scented parchment. She was currently writing a letter to Vladimir that afternoon while eating her second helping of the sweet pastry she had asked Draco to buy two days ago.

__

It has been three weeks since that fearful night and I suddenly found myself being cooped up in here with no one to talk to but my cat, mother and my books. Draco is always out on some business and I often just see him at night. As much as I hate being in here with nothing to do, I really can't blame Draco for putting up a powerful spell all over the manor, preventing me and other people to apparate freely, unlike before. Other than that, he also had all the fireplaces temporarily disconnected from the Floo Network so as not to have everybody popping in and out of here from the fire. As a result, everybody who wished to visit (strictly close friends and family members only) have to use the old-fashioned way to enter. I'm forbidden to go out on my own. I was forced to stop teaching temporarily and have spent the most miserable New Year's Eve of my life. I don't know if I should feel flattered about this or not!

She let out a sigh upon remembering her bleakest New Year celebration. Because of the terrible thing that happened last Christmas, Draco and her family had decided to celebrate New Year's Eve at the manor. She shook her head miserably. Even with the scrumptious feast Narcissa had prepared, still, everything was tense and stressful. Everybody was actually busy worrying about her. While Fred and George were keeping themselves occupied by blowing up the hefty supply of firecrackers they had brought with them, the rest of the men were busy talking about the on going investigation about the knives that had almost taken her life.

It was later learned, after Molly and Hermione talked to Sylvia and Nathan, that there was actually an open window inside her room that enabled the three knives to pass through. Apparently, Sylvia had opened the window because she had wanted to play with the Exploding Snaps Greg had given her, but Ginny had hauled her off and settled her on the floor together with her cousins to start the story telling session. She remembered standing up and reaching for a book when the knives went suddenly zooming towards her. It was actually Nathan who had called her attention beforehand, and then everything went blank. She suddenly couldn't remember anything anymore. She shook her head and decided to continue writing.

__

But then again, I was really happy to see all my family get together that New Year's. I just hope that the investigation will end soon and the perpetrator be caught so that I can have my life back. God knows I'm getting tired sitting here all day and waiting for my husband to show up. I'm starting to feel like a common and useless housewife. I really hate that. J 

Do write back as soon as soon as you can!

All my love,

Ginny

With that last statement, Ginny then put her quill down and let the ink dry first before stamping Draco's seal at the lower right corner of the paper. Then rolling it neatly, she summoned Athena, her snow-white owl, who was patiently perched up on top of Draco's bookshelf. 

"Ready to go to grandfather's house again, Athena?" she asked while tying a silver ribbon around the rolled parchment. The owl, in turn, let out a loud whoop of agreement as its reply. Ginny laughed softly and tied the note on Athena's left leg. "Hurry back, all right? You still have something to give to Ron and Hermione," she said as she opened the window. Athena then gave her finger an affectionate nip before setting off. 

With the owl already gone, Ginny then closed the windows and decided to finish the rest of her cake. _"This is so boring,"_ she thought as she looked at the sinking sun. How many days had it been? Three weeks, almost a month. She heaved a bored sigh and made her way for the bed, bringing her plate with her and munching all the way. She felt totally useless, as in literally useless. This present condition was making her look like an undomesticated woman and that was very, very insulting for her part. Even if she wanted to help out in the household chores or cook in the kitchen (after all, she had been living alone for the past four years, right?) there were already many servants to do all that. Helping out would make her look, well, it would be very strange for the servants. And besides, if Narcissa ever saw her, she would surely never hear the end of it.

She plopped herself on the bed and began propping two pillows against the headboard. Lying down, she took the last bite of her cake and began reaching for Draco's book, which was resting on top of the night table. Obviously, he had already started reading his second Gaarder piece, Vita Brevis. She let out a tiny smile as her fingers carefully began leafing through crisp pages of the novel. It pleased her to know that Draco, indeed, appreciated her Christmas present. She reached for the box of chocolate inside the night table drawer and began reading the first page of the book while munching, yet again, on another set of sweets. She was already half-way through the second page when a soft knock echoed in the stillness of the room. Ginny looked up to see Narcissa entering with Hammilton floating close behind her carrying a tray.

"Hi, mother!" Ginny greeted, closing the book and settling it aside. 

Narcissa smiled and sat on the bed. "Hi, dear," she said. "I hope we're not disturbing you."

"Oh no," replied Ginny quickly. She fixed an inquiring gaze on Hammilton's prim and proud form. "So—," she began, looking from the ghost servant to Draco's mother, her eyes questioning.

"Oh yes," said Narcissa mildly, noting the curious glance Ginny cast their way. "I just thought that it would be a splendid idea to have dinner inside your chamber." She sighed. "I just don't see the point of using the enormous dining hall since there's only two of us right now." Then looking up at Hammilton, she then bid him to place the tray on the table just before the window. Ginny smiled and got out of bed while taking another chocolate from the box. 

"Oh, I get what you mean, mother," said Ginny as the ghost busily set the silvers and porcelain before them. Narcissa took her wand out and summoned herself a chair. "I think Draco won't be coming home till eleven," she added while taking her seat.

"Will there be anything else, Madam?" Hammilton asked after laying the bowl of fruit before them.

"Oh that will do, Hammilton," said Narcissa. "Thank you."

"Thanks, Hammilton," said Ginny before popping another chocolate into her mouth. At that, the ghost servant bowed once and silently floated out of the room, leaving the two ladies to enjoy their dinner. 

Just then Narcissa frowned. "Ginny dear?" she asked.

Ginny looked up. "Yes?"

"Do you," she stopped and glanced at the box of chocolates resting on top of Ginny's lap, "do you think that you'll be able to eat after— eating a bunch of those chocolates?" she continued unsurely.

"Yes," replied Ginny while placing the white table napkin on her lap. "Actually, I am so hungry that I could eat a horse." Then she stopped and turned at her mother-in-law wonderingly. "As a matter of fact, these couple of weeks, I always feel hungry," she said thoughtfully upon remembering the meal she had earlier. Five french toasts, three glasses of milk for breakfast, three slices of cake Draco bought for her and two enormous helpings of pasta for lunch. And now, two slices of the same cake, almost all of the Swiss chocolates Vlad gave her for Christmas and she still had enough room for a huge dinner! It didn't quite occur to her that she could eat like— well, like her brothers.

"Well, that's good," assured Narcissa while putting a bite of her mashed potatoes inside her mouth. "At least you don't miss the three most important meals of the day."

Ginny frowned at the answer. She stared quite oddly at Narcissa first before taking a piece of her own mashed potatoes. Then she shook her head. "It's just that I don't usually eat like this," she said after swallowing her food. "I don't want to get too fat," she added morosely.

"Oh honey, you're not getting fat at all," said Narcissa comfortingly. Her metal-gray eyes roamed from her face to her body. "Look at you! All thin and— and slim. If there's one thing that you should be doing now then that is to eat more!"

"But I don't usually eat like this," repeated Ginny while quickly shoving food inside her mouth. "The weird thing about this is I eat whenever I feel like it!" she exclaimed in between chewing

This time, it was Narcissa's turn to frown. "What's weird about that?"

"I eat even though I'm not feeling hungry," cried Ginny while busily finishing her meat. Not long after that, Ginny's plate was cleanly wiped out. She bit her lips and reached for her second helping. "You think I'm sick?" she asked while placing another hefty amount of mashed potatoes on her plate.

"No," answered Narcissa quickly. Then the older woman laughed softly as Ginny began eating, well, more like wolfing down, her food. "Kind of reminds me of Draco, really. That boy was an eater! He can take three toasts in a snap and he doesn't ever get fat!"

At that, Ginny looked at her miserably. "Now I eat like Draco!" she cried. "And he doesn't get fat!" She sighed dolefully, silently thinking about Draco's perfect body without any ounce of excess fat on it. "It won't be long now till I weigh 200 pounds!"

"Dear, you know that's not what I had meant," said Narcissa a little sternly.

Ginny smiled listlessly. "Yes, I know," she said while watching Narcissa's long elegant fingers enclosing on the delicate stem of the wine glass before them. She was about to say something when the other woman suddenly cleared her throat.

"I hope you do understand that Draco's doing this for your own good too, locking you in here temporarily and everything," she said softly.

Ginny took a tiny sip of her wine before answering. "Of course, mother," she replied. "I completely understand the situation, you don't have anything to worry about," she added.

"Oh, I just don't like you thinking that Draco's all insane like his father," she said nonchalantly. "I know how terrible it is to be cooped up in here with nothing better to do. Especially for you. You're used to working, right?" 

Ginny frowned at this. "Lucius actually locked you in here?" she asked instead. Just then she stopped. She smiled apologetically at Narcissa while scolding herself for saying a stupid and insensitive thing like that.

Narcissa stared at her for a moment. "Most of the time, yes," she finally replied, her eyes having that faraway look on them as if searching a distant memory. "Though I couldn't see the reason why he would do such a thing. He wouldn't even tell me." Then she smiled softly at Ginny's eager expression. "Then just last November, while I was going through his study, I found several of my letters. He— he didn't give them to me when he was still alive."

"Who sent you the letters?" Ginny asked curiously. _"Lucius was terribly insane."_

At this, Narcissa's face beamed as a bittersweet smile grazed her lovely face. "They're from someone I used to— date when I was still going at Hogwarts," she replied. "He was younger than me, two years actually, but there was something about him that made me disregard the fact that he was two years my junior. Unlike his friends, he was quiet, intelligent, had a great sense of humor. A perfect gentleman. Well, although he would sometimes get into trouble together with his friends," she paused and took a sip of her wine. "But he would always disappear, oftentimes at night rumor has it. It was that time when I've heard that he had taught at Hogwarts that Lucius went ballistic and suddenly locked me in here. Oh, I heard that he became Draco's professor, actually. I think it was Defense against the Dark Arts or something." The she shrugged. "I suppose Lucius became insanely jealous when he tried reaching me by sending me letters."

"So he didn't give up on you," concluded Ginny. Seeing the hopeless longing in her eyes, Ginny didn't have the heart to even ask for the man's name. Instead, she just sat there and waited for Narcissa to go on with her story.

The other woman nodded slowly. "Yes, I could say that although most of his letters contained explanations about his disappearance and everything that happened to him," she replied softly. "After all, my engagement to Lucius was featured in every wizarding newspaper and magazine. He couldn't have missed it." She let out a sad sigh. "It's just that he suddenly disappeared after graduation and my family made me marry Lucius. When he came back to teach at Hogwarts, everything was just too late. I would've answered his letters if it weren't for Lucius. I think that's why my husband locked me in here. I would have even run away with him, taking little Draco with me, if he had asked me to."

__

"I couldn't blame you," Ginny thought sadly as she felt her heart melting for Narcissa. "I'm sorry about that," she said softly after hearing her sad tale.

Narcissa smiled. "It doesn't matter anyway. It was a long time ago," she said as she brought her fork and knife against her meat and concentrated on her dinner, a signal to end the discussion.

Then they continued their meal in silence. It took Ginny another helping of mashed potatoes before Narcissa declared that she had already finished her one and only meal. They were having dessert, some fruits and a pleasant conversation about how wonderful the garden was going to be this coming spring when Hammilton suddenly breezed inside the room.

"I'm sorry to interrupt Madam," it began looking at Narcissa. "But you've got a message from your seamstress, Edwina, saying it is urgent."

Narcissa's eyes widened. "Oh it must be about the new gown." She turned to Ginny. "We can't decide whether to have it in blue or black or silver," she added while placing the table napkin on top of the tray. 

"Then have it in silver or blue," said Ginny while popping a grape in her mouth. "You have dozens of gown in black already."

"You see, that's the problem," replied Narcissa. "We've purchased the cloth in black already and I'm not sure if that's a changeable color cloth, you know, where you can change the color even after it's all made and everything."

"Oh," was all Ginny could think of saying. She popped another grape in her mouth while her hand was busy forking another piece of her blueberry pie. 

"Hammilton, which fireplace?" Narcissa asked mildly.

"In your chambers madam," replied Hammilton unemotionally. Then it's transparent head riveted towards Ginny whom was busy enjoying her dessert. "Is the young Mistress all finished with her dinner?" 

Ginny looked up at Hammilton's awaiting expression. "Oh, yes please," she said. "But please do leave the fruits behind."

"Very well young Mistress," said Hammilton while he carefully placed the plates and the left-over dinner on the tray, specifically leaving the basket of fruits for Ginny's personal enjoyment. 

"I'll see you later," said Narcissa before turning around and walking away from her with Hammilton floating close behind her. Once alone, Ginny let out another sigh and gazed out the window. Then to her absolute surprise, she saw another snow-white owl tapping the glass with her beak. Frowning, she stood up and opened the window. Immediately, the owl came down swooping across the room, dropping a single letter on the table in front of her.

"So quick?" she asked herself wonderingly while taking the neatly rolled parchment. Usually it would take Vladimir three or four days to answer her letter. Her eyebrows wrinkling with curiosity, she carefully untied the ribbon holding the letter into place and slowly unrolled it to reveal a short message.

__

I understand everything now, Ginny. Can't believe it took me till New Year's to find out everything. Meet me at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade at 8 in the evening. You'll be safe with me. 

I'll be waiting.

Sincerely,

Harry

Ginny's hand trembled after reading the short letter. Her heart hammered loudly against her chest, her hand dropping the note. It landed against the sturdy wooden desk without a sound, like a feather being slowly tossed about by a soft breeze. She bit her lip nervously while staring at the parchment before her. Did Harry suddenly learn her little secret? Did he find out their charade? Did he suddenly discover that this marriage was all- was all a money-making masquerade? Should she meet him? Just then, she felt the owl landing on her shoulder. It began nipping at her ear, no doubt, demanding for sweets. After handing it some of her chocolates, the owl gave a satisfied woo and sailed out of the window.

"What should I do?" she found herself asking while her hands busily closed the windows once again. "Should I tell Draco about this? And speaking of Draco, I wonder where he could be?" she found herself asking. 

Wonderingly, she stood up and made for her vanity. She had finally come to the sudden decision to ignore Harry's letter, not tell Draco about it and not to see him. After all, she was a full grown adult already. She must take care of something as trifling as this by herself and not add it to Draco's amounting worries. 

She sat down and opened one of her drawers to reveal the black velvet box of her necklace sitting quietly inside. She put Harry's letter inside first before deftly flipping the top cover open to see the ruby red eyes of the serpent staring back at her. For some unknown reason, she carefully took the necklace out of its hiding place and draped it around her neck.

Just then, she felt a jolt inside her chest. She closed her eyes as another set of furious hammering thudded from within her. Then she saw vague images of Draco… walking away from— She quickly opened her eyes, yanked the necklace off her neck and gruffly threw it on the vanity table before her. She took quick, calming breaths while looking straight at the serpent's eyes. 

"What are you?" she whispered while looking at the aesthetic ornament before her. As its answer, the serpent stared at her silently. Swallowing hard, Ginny took the necklace and quickly placed it inside its own box. She shut the drawer noisily, her whole insides already numb with fright. First, she married a Malfoy, then someone wanted her dead and now a mysterious and creepy necklace that made her see her husband's infidelity. What was next? She let out a soft snort. Probably it would — then she stopped abruptly and frowned. She just saw Draco leaving from the Zabini Estate! And at this time of night! Her eyes narrowed as unexplainable feelings of jealousy, anger, curiosity, confusion and pain crashed at her all at once. Thoughts about Blaise, Draco and soft fluffy pillows unwillingly whizzed inside her mind. Whether the serpent made her see him vaguely or not, whether it was on her side or not, he sure had a lot of explaining to do! 

Then as if on cue, the door suddenly creaked open. Sensing his overpowering presence, Ginny immediately stood up and made her way towards the window. She stood before it, her back to the door, crossing her arms over her chest with silent animosity.

"Hello, my wife," Draco greeted heavily while his heavy booted feet came walking across their enormous chamber. He placed the folder containing the important deeds of the Zabini estate inside his desk drawer. When he heard the inaudible and cool 'good evening' of his wife instead of the warm 'hi' and the sweet kiss she used to give him, he frowned with confusion. Shutting the drawer noisily, he slowly made his way towards the dainty form of Ginny, who was currently standing before the window, gazing at nothing in particular.

"Did you have dinner yet?" he whispered while wrapping her waist in his arms and pulling her closer to him till her back was resting against his chest. Ginny didn't move and resisted the urge to sigh when she felt his hand delicately brushing her hair aside and his lips deliciously settling against her neck. "You feel like eating with me?" continued Draco in between his kisses.

"What were you doing in Blaise's house?" Ginny asked instead. Surprisingly, her voice was cold and dangerous.

Draco stopped abruptly upon hearing this. Ginny let out a smirk upon feeling his body turning rigid with surprise. "All right, Virginia," he began steadily. "What is this all about?" 

As her reply, Ginny turned around to face him. Draco frowned upon seeing the cold, calculating look on his wife's face. He raised his eyebrows in confusion. At this, Ginny's eyes began to narrow sharply, her arms stubbornly across her chest.

"What were you doing in Blaise Zabini's house?" Ginny repeated, her voice surprisingly soft but rich with fury. She tried her best to remain cool and passive even though her chest was already constricting with unexplained pain.

Draco let out a tired sigh. "I just closed the deal with Victor Zabini regarding grandfather's purchase of their estate," he finally replied. 

With the answer, Ginny nodded once as a sign of acceptance. "All right," she said while walking past him. "Good night," she added, making her way towards her 'own' chamber. 

Seeing this, Draco immediately followed her departing form. Upon reaching her, he gently held her arm with his hand, stopping her. "What is the meaning of this, Virginia?" he asked calmly.

"Nothing," replied Ginny. Then giving him one of her twisted smiles, she turned around. "I must rest now."

But Draco didn't let go. "Wait," he said. Ginny stopped and faced him once again. "You don't believe me, do you?" he said.

"No, I believe you," lied Ginny. Then she smirked sarcastically. "I just don't get, why, of all the lands that grandfather wanted you to—"

"You think I'm lying to you?" Draco asked, his voice already rasping. It surprisingly pained him to realize that Ginny still didn't trust him. That Ginny still thought of him as the prat and insensitive Draco she had met eleven years ago. Did he just will himself to believe that she was actually seeing him at a different perspective? That she was actually seeing him deeper? Knowing him as 'Draco' and not as 'Draco Malfoy,' Lucius' son? The tender nights, the lazy Sunday mornings, just about everything! Were they just a part of this make-believe game they were playing? But then, why did he even care in the first place? He could just shrug and walk away, right? Good riddance to her and to what she thought about him! But why couldn't he make his legs move? _"Good lord, this is so confusing,"_ he thought. At that, anger and confusion filled him, fueling the pain even more. 

"Think whatever you want to think. I'm going to bed," said Ginny while forcing herself to turn away. She didn't miss the pain etched in his eyes and it brought another set of distress within her. She didn't know what to think or believe anymore. All that she knew was he came from Blaise's place. Knowing what kind of woman Blaise was and knowing what kind of man he was, there was just no saying about what could've happened between them and— she bit her lip to keep herself from crying. 

__

"You crying over something as stupid and as shallow as this! And why are you even crying? It's not like you're in love with the guy, right? Or have feelings to even care what he did with other women!" she heard her brain scream. _"Get a grip! Or better yet, get a life!"_

__

"You're right," she said to herself. _"It's not like I have feelings for him. I must not cry. I must not give him the pleasure of seeing me cry. Lord knows just how many women cried over him and—,"_ But why did she feel her chin trembling, her eyes suddenly moistening.She raised her chin defiantly and looked at him straight in the eye. _"Good God, but why is this all confusing?" _she thought. "I'm feeling tired. I want to rest," she forced herself to say.

"Then why don't you rest here? In OUR chamber?" Draco asked with silent fury. Then he let out a soft snort. "You think you're the only one who's feeling all tired about this?" he rasped.

At that, Ginny yanked her arm forcefully from his grasp. "How dare you say that to me," she said fiercely. "You think I'm not getting tired myself, being cooped up in here? How would you feel if I lock you in here, all day, with nothing to do while I go out, frolicking with other men—"

"That's right, Ginny!" Draco cried. "Go on and think of something that will make you more angry! Go on ahead and give yourself more problems!" Then he raked his fingers through his hair impatiently while turning away from her. He just couldn't believe they were fighting over something as stupid as this! Did Ginny think that he would go and sneak around behind her back? If she only knew how badly he wanted her to even think of looking at other women or wanting someone other than her—_"Then tell her what you feel, you moron!" _his brain hissed. 

"I, give myself more problems?" Ginny shouted incredelously. She took a couple of furious steps towards him. "Now I'm giving myself more problems!"

"Yes you are!" Draco answered back while furiously walking away from her, his endearing thoughts about her already forgotten because of her sudden outburst. "What do you want me to say then? That something happened between me and Blaise, huh? That we were sneaking behind your back while I'm keeping you locked in here for no apparent reason at all? That we had sex a while ago?" he yelled angrily. Then he shook his head tiredly. "I just can't believe, after a very tiring day, I am coming home to a jealous and suspecting wife, who, for the love of god, could've chosen some other time to pick a fight about—"

"I know what kind of woman Blaise is!" Ginny yelled back. "Don't you go and tell me that everything was nothing, that everything was pure business because I'm a woman too and I know exactly what she feels about you," she continued, her lips and hands furiously trembling with unknown rage. 

"How did you even know that I came from the Zabini place?" Draco asked instead.

"That is not your concern," spat Ginny.

"Great! You don't bloody hell trust me, that's why you had me followed wherever—"

"Oh dream on!" Ginny cried with anger. "I wouldn't even care if you suddenly decided to pay hell a visit!" The words slipped even before she could stop them.

"If you don't care then why the hell are you so angry with me?" Draco found himself yelling again upon seeing the Ginny's unrepentant smirk before him. Then he sneered while Ginny's brain was busy thinking of something to say. "What if I tell you something did happen, huh? What are you going to do about it?" he said softly while making his way towards her. 

Ginny pursed her lips, unable to say anything. She took deep calming breaths to suppress the tears fighting to get free. Draco suddenly gave her a leering smile. "Why don't you ask me if I'm lying to you?" he snarled, his voice soft but dangerous. He walked towards her, getting closer. When Ginny still regarded him silently, he smiled bitterly. "No use, right? I mean, who would believe that I, Draco Malfoy, wouldn't lie? What good asking would do? That's what you and other people expect me to do, isn't it? Lie?"

Ginny cast her eyes down as her reply. It was not only the confusion, it was also the fear that brought her so much pain. What if he _was_ lying to her? What if he _had_ done something with Blaise a while ago? What if he _did_ have several women behind her back? If he was indeed lying, how on earth would she able to take it? She readily admitted that it would hurt like hell, though she didn't know why, but for him to say everything to her face— _"Why is he being so deliberately cruel?"_ she found herself asking. Was he enjoying seeing her like this? The thought brought another surge of fresh, burning grief inside her chest.

"Just say it. You want to hear my so-called infidelity to you, right? You want me to admit that I did something wrong to make you look good after our divorce," he stopped abruptly upon feeling something heavy dropping to his chest. He turned gruffly away from her. Then he took a deep breath and popped the question he had learned to hate. "Tell me, do you want to end this right now?"

Silence. Ginny shut her eyes momentarily. She should have known better than to hope that Draco already forgot about getting a divorce.

"Yes or no, Virginia?" Draco asked, his voice tight. He held his breath, expecting a dreadful answer. If Ginny should decide to end everything here, then how on earth would he cope up? He may be unsure of what he felt for her but he was so sure that he didn't want her to leave, not now, not ever. 

Silence.

"Yes or no."

"I DON'T KNOW!" Ginny yelled, her arms already flailing wildly in the air. "I don't know anymore! I don't know what I feel anymore! I don't know what to think anymore! I don't know who to trust or who to believe anymore!" Then she turned away from him as the first drop of tears rolled down from her eyes. She swiped them angrily. "All I know is what kind of man you are and the almost insane things I think about whenever— whenever you're not here with me! Whenever I see you with other women! I just don't—" She quickly clamped her mouth shut, realizing the uncalled words that came tumbling out of her lips. She looked away, strongly wishing that she could eat those words back again. 

At that, Draco walked towards her only to notice her eyes already brimming with unshed tears. And nothing pained him more than seeing her like this. "Then you don't know anything about me, Virginia. You don't know me at all," he said softly, his eyes not leaving hers in a tension-filled gaze.

"How can I, when you don't even let me in?" Ginny said as another set of angry tears fell from her eyes, her voice almost a whisper. "Please don't shut me out anymore, Draco."

Draco stared at her momentarily only to see the hopeful look engraved in her eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her, just hold her, till the anger and the pain went away. He wanted to kiss her tears away, so badly but— "How can I if I don't even understand everything myself? I— I don't know what I feel, Virginia," he blurted out, the words coming quickly out of his mouth before he could even stop them. 

"Then you're the one who's been giving me and yourself a problem," replied Ginny, her voice heavy with grief. She looked at him and dared him to walk away from her. When she saw the slight smirk spreading across his lips, she looked away in order to hide the sad anguish in her eyes.

__

"But what about how you feel about me?" he thought, staring at her eyes. He wanted so badly to ask her about what she felt for him but was so afraid of what her answer might be. Instead, he found himself shrugging. "You're probably right," said Draco while backing away from her slowly. Ginny looked at him longingly but she hardened her heart, her insides already filled with sadness upon feeling his strong and comforting warmth slowly departing from her. It took all her willpower not to run after him and stop him. "Thank you for pointing that out, Virginia. I'm probably the problem here, as always. There's nothing surprising about it, really. After all, I AM Draco Malfoy, am I not?"

And with that, Draco hurriedly turned around and made his way out of their chamber. He slammed the door angrily and sailed down the stairs, his heavy boots making furious noises with his every step. He gruffly took his coat and carelessly slung it over his shoulders, too mad to even care if it looked all right or not. It didn't matter anymore! He just had to get out of there! 

"Don't bother waiting up!" he yelled crossly while opening the door and stepping out. Instantly, the chilly winter breeze blew at him, making him shiver slightly. Tightening his coat about him, he was about to take a step towards the gate when he heard a shrill and angry but familiar voice not far away from where he was standing. He hurriedly walked towards the huge front lawn of the manor only to see Blaise Zabini busy arguing with their stable man.

"I need to see your Master right now!" Blaise shrieked while fighting her way past the huge build of their servant. "How many times do I have to tell you that I must speak to him at once!" She took out her wand and furiously aimed the tip at the servant. "Get out of my way before I hex you with something dreadful!"

"I'm sorry Madam but Master Draco specifically mentioned no guests, strictly family members only," the man answered still managing to sound all polite and formal amidst Blaise's frenzied shouting.

"Since when? Don't you know who I am?" she said shrilly, her hands landing on her hips, the wand forgotten. It became obvious to her that the stable guard wasn't at all frightened. Well, she had no intention of casting anything anyway, afraid that the hex would backfire on her. After all, she was really terrible when it came to charms, enchantments and hexes. "I'm Blaise Zabini and I demand you to get out of my way at once!"

"That's okay, William. I'll take care of this."

The servant whirled around upon hearing his master's voice. Upon seeing Draco slowly walking towards them, he heaved a grateful sigh that Draco would've found funny if not for his present and worsening predicament with Ginny. Blaise, on the other hand, ran straight to him. Draco let out a soft 'oof' as Blaise threw herself to him with abandon.

"Oh God, honey I miss you so!" she cried. Draco tried his best not to squirm away upon feeling her lips raining his face with kisses. Then she stopped abruptly and turned to William, eyeing him with much dislike, her arms not leaving Draco's shoulders. At that moment, Draco really could say that Blaise has this extraordinary talent to 'speak' nasty with just a mere look of her eyes. "What have you to say for yourself, William?" she asked cruelly. 

At that, Draco rolled his eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked instead while waving a dismissing hand to his stable man. William, in turn, bowed gratefully and hurriedly left them alone.

"I need to talk to you," replied Blaise. "It's very important."

Draco looked at her for a while. Then his gaze wandered momentarily at the window only to see a dainty silhouette peering at them, being illuminated by the faint orange light of the fire. His eyes went back to Blaise. "All right," he finally said. "Come on."

Blaise let out a tiny cry of surprise when Draco, without a word, pulled her quite gruffly with him, away from the manor grounds. 

==========

Ginny felt the torrent of tears falling from her eyes upon seeing Draco being eaten alive by a woman with dark black hair in a fitted blood red dress underneath the sexy cut of her black cloak. There was just no mistake that the woman was indeed Blaise Zabini. At that, another set of fat tears rolled down her cheeks when she saw Draco pulling the woman with him away from the manor. Then she stopped. Why was she even crying? At that, she angrily wiped her eyes dry.

"Where are they going?" she found herself asking while walking away from the window and settling herself before her vanity. The thought of Draco leaving with Blaise and the major fight they had made her mind numb as she opened her drawer without even knowing why. Then as if fate had really taken its toll, her eyes landed on the single piece of parchment sitting idly inside her vanity compartment. She picked it up, recognizing Harry's near-to-readable handwriting. After a moment, she smiled.

"Fine, Draco," she said to herself as she stood up and made her way towards her closet. "We'll have everything your way," she muttered while picking out a dress and a cloak. She hastily removed her nightgown and donned the dress and the pair of shoes she fished out from underneath her bed. Then taking her wand and her cloak with her, she hurriedly made her way outside of their chamber. _"Who says you can't fight fire with fire? If you're going, I'm going!"_

She silently crept her way towards the hall, then to the stairs, her hands busy fastening the cloak clasp against her throat. Then checking the front hall for servants, she quickly but silently ran towards the huge doors. 

__

"God, I can't believe I'm sneaking off like this in my own house!" she hissed to herself as she ran towards the chamber where the Malfoy's kept all their broom collection. After several seconds of choosing and deciding, she finally resolved to have a good ol' Firebolt for herself. Then quickly opening the enormous windows, Ginny mounted her broom and swiftly shot off into the cold dark sky, undoubtedly on her way to The Three Broomsticks.

==========

"The Hog's head?"

Blaise found herself frowning with obvious disgust upon clearly seeing the sign 'Hog's head' hanging trivially just above their heads. She turned to Draco's uninterested expression and immediately let go of his arm. 

"The Hog's head?" She turned to Draco as if he was nuts. She placed her hands on her hips haughtily. "What is this place?" she demanded, her sharp eyes going once again on the sign then landing on Draco's face. 

"Hog's Head," said Draco while walking inside the less-friendly pub without even bothering to wait and open the door for her. Blaise let out an audible grumble of displeasure while following him inside. Once inside, her nose crinkled with disgust upon seeing wizard's of all shapes and sizes, drinking noisily and obviously getting drunk. She looked past the other tables only to see the most rickety card table situated at the corner with four disgruntled and hopeless looking wizard's playing, or better yet, arguing about a Muggle card game called Poker. She hastily followed Draco, zigzagging her way across the crowded tavern amidst the low and suggestive whistles of the men behind her.

"I know that this place is Hog's Head," said Blaise with forced calmness as Draco nonchalantly took a seat just beside the backdoor, a little away from the bar. Blaise took the chair opposite from him. Then she smiled and decided to change her tactics. "But what are we doing here, Draco?" she continued, her voice becoming so syrupy that Draco, for the fist time in his life, felt sick. He looked away as Blaise crossed her arms over her chest while pouting sexily. She was fully aware that every man's eyes were on her and she projected her chest outwards even more. 

"Pick out some drinks first," answered Draco as he busily called the attention of the bartender. He knew that he was the envy of every man inside the pub. He could even get into a fight or worse, a wizard's duel! But as of now, he didn't care. He wouldn't even give her the pleasure of seeing two men fighting over her. That's what she wanted. And besides, he wasn't that insane to even fight for her. When the old wizard nodded, Draco shouted out his preferred drink. He turned to Blaise and smiled leeringly. "Do you want one too?" he asked.

"Draco, if you wanted to have drink then why don't we get out of here and go to a wonderful hotel somewhere in Diagon Alley?" she purred, her hand settling possessively on his arm. "This is not the place where you bring ladies of my standing, you know."

Draco's eyes momentarily landed on her well-manicured fingers. Then he looked at her, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I'm not really in the mood for a bunch of rich and stuck-up company for tonight," he said as the bartender settled a whole bottle of Old Ogden's Firewhiskey and two glasses before them.

"Who told you that we'd be having some company?" Blaise drawled on softly. She let her fingers slither across his arm, caressing him. "After a drink maybe we could do something— 'interesting' together," she added suggestively. Then she shook her head while rolling her eyes exasperatedly. "Heaven knows what kind of 'handling' your so-called wife's been giving your insatiable needs."

Draco tried his best not to grit his teeth as he pulled his arm away from her creeping fingers. "Thank you for the generous offer but I assure you my sex life is not your concern," he answered frankly while pouring the drink in his glass and finishing it with one gulp. After his second glass, he turned to Blaise who was already scowling at him angrily. "What was the important thing you want to tell me anyway?" he asked after gulping the potent stuff down, quite pleased to see how he was starting to piss Blaise off.

"All right, Draco, I will forget what you said earlier since you're not yourself as of now," she started as one of her perfectly shaped brow raised up a notch. Draco just shrugged and took his fourth drink. Blaise took a deep, calming breath. "I've just learned that my father sold the estate and we're moving away to Ireland."

"I know. My grandfather bought it. I was the one who closed the deal," Draco cut in gruffly.

"What!" shrieked Blaise. "Why didn't you even inform me that you were in my house earlier?" she demanded. Draco gave her the sharp what-do-you-care look, shutting the tantrums building inside her. Instead, she took another deep breath. When Draco still chose to remain silent, she gave an outcry of aggravation "Hello! We're going away! We're leaving Britain!"

"So?" replied Draco bleakly. He took another shot of his whiskey and eyed her unemotionally.

"So?" cried Blaise angrily. "Is that all you have to say? So?" she said shrilly, earning them the curious glances of the drunken customers around them. 

"I don't see why your moving away has something to do with me," said Draco truthfully.

"You might want to ask me to stay with you!" she answered back. "Ask me to marry you maybe?" she added haughtily.

At that, Draco looked at her if she was insane. "Are you out of your mind?" he cried out. "And what good would that do to us, huh?"

"If we get married, then you can get the estate and all our properties without buying it since you, of course, will be the new head of the family," answered Blaise. "With 61 million Galleons to your name plus the whole Zabini assets, it won't be that bad," she added shrewdly.

Upon hearing that, Draco shook his head disgusted amusement. "Is that all you care about, Blaise?" he asked, his voice with soft annoyance. "Money?"

"Don't give me that, Draco?" she said as they eyed each other with mutual irritation. "You have to admit that this arrangement does not only take care of your interests but also mine as well," she added arrogantly.

"Oh, too bad I'm currently married to Ginny," he said with sarcasm. He held up his right hand to show him the ring glistening around his finger. When Blaise regarded him silently, he smirked and finished his fifth glass. "And besides, I don't think your father won't like me as his son-in-law. Not after the things I told him earlier," he supplied without even considering that he was actually talking to Blaise Zabini, the 'daughter'.

"Not for long," she said, her eyes glistening with malice. " And besides, I couldn't care less what my father wants. I just want you. Thank God for divorce," she said snootily.

"Oh Blaise, I'm sure you'd make me a fine wife indeed," he said with rancor. At that, a cold smile grazed the woman's lips. Draco let out a nasty chuckle, his head already feeling light because of the alcohol. "Still the same ol' bratty and spoiled woman I used to know. Surely I deserve someone like you. We'd be very happy," he continued without even thinking. He looked at her and was surprised to see her pretty face becoming all blurry.

"How dare you say that me!" Blaise suddenly exploded, unmindful of the stares the people around them gave her. "How dare you say that to me now that I'm giving you a chance to get yourself out of that— that mess!"

"And what if I don't want you to bail me out of this mess!" Draco answered back. He was about to take another one of his booze when Blaise suddenly snatched the glass of whiskey from his hands. "Give that back, bitch!" he yelled at her.

At that, Blaise threw the contents of the glass at him. Fortunately the stinging liquid didn't reach his eyes as it spilled mostly on his shirt. Draco swore out loud as he quickly wiped his face and shirt with his handkerchief. It took all his willpower not to wipe out the nasty smirk grazing the woman's face with his hands. After all, no matter how bitchy these kind of women could get, it was actually not in his nature to hit girls. 

"Hand it over now!" he repeated, this time fiercely. Blaise just smiled and eyed him spitefully. Seeing that the woman had no intention of returning him his glass, he hastily took the bottle and drank from it.

"You are drunk and oblivious of what you're doing or—"

"Do you still have an ounce of brains left inside your pretty, little head Blaise?" he asked. Then he smiled tauntingly. "You want to get married then?" he asked while slamming the bottle of whiskey loudly on the table. "Fine, I'll ask you then. I don't care whatever happens anymore! You want me to kneel before you?"

"Draco Edward Malfoy, you will stop this immediately," she said with forced calmness, her eyes blazing with fury.

"Why should I? Isn't this what you wanted?" he asked scornfully. Just then, much to his surprise, Blaise let out a soft but mirthless laugh. He looked at her with confusion and frowned. "What is so amusing?" he said gruffly, obviously not pleased at being laughed at.

"Don't you see, Draco?" she began while smiling with a nasty sort of glee. "You've just shown me why we're meant for each other. We're two of a kind. That's why I chose you from all the men I went out with. We're practically the same, inside and out."

"That's not entirely true, Blaise," replied Draco, smirking.

"Oh yeah?" she said. "What's not true about it? Come on, Draco, tell me," she challenged. When Draco found no real answer to this, Blaise laughed at him with cruel gaiety. When he still didn't say anything, she let out a gasp of mock surprise. "Oh my! Whatever's happening to the world right now!" she began delicately. "Draco Malfoy lost for words! Draco Malfoy having nothing nasty or sarcastic to say!" Then she smiled at him, a snake-like smile that didn't reach her feline eyes. "What's the matter, Draco? The Weasley twit softening you up?"

At the mention of Ginny's name, Draco's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You leave her out of this, Blaise," he warned, his voice threatening.

"Why should I?" Then her face turned serious. "I hate her, Draco. You know why?" She stopped and waited for Draco to say something. When nothing came out his lips, she let out an affected smile. "Because she's in the way of getting what I want," she added simply.

"Once again, you leave her out of this."

"And what if I don't, Draco?"

At that, Draco stood up abruptly, his cold gray eyes shining with indescribable fury that made Blaise speechless. "This conversation is over, Blaise," he said, his voice loud and clear. "I am sick and tired of putting up with your silly antics! This—everything about us is all over!"

"Oh don't fuck with me, Draco!" spat Blaise back. "Don't tell me you're in love with the little weasel?"

Silence. The sudden statement making him stop abruptly. _Blaise said the L-word_, he thought. Unwillingly, he found himself thinking of Ginny…

__

  


"…I may not understand the pain you've felt before, Draco. But I do know one thing. You're not a bad or— or an evil person just because of that and-- and nobody hated you for that…" 

  


Blaise smiled wickedly upon noting the affected look on Draco's face, fully aware that she had hit a sensitive spot. "You don't know how to love, Draco. Just like me. People like us don't love. That's why we're made for each other, don't you see?"

__

  


"…I've always thought I hated you but then I realized that I actually don't. To be honest, it was only your voice I heard clearly amidst the frantic shouting and yelling a while ago. It was you, just you and at that moment I really felt like I had to see you, you know…"

  


"Why don't you say something, Draco?" Blaise said provokingly. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

__

  


"…How can I when you don't even let me in? Please don't shut me out anymore, Draco…"

  


Just then, he felt his heart gave a sudden jolt. Then an indescribable warmness spread inside his chest. It was a warmness he never felt before! It felt wonderful and terrifying! He felt like he was falling fast but also flying at the same time. He shook his head slowly, a smile slowly grazing his lips as different and new kinds of emotion swept up inside him, not only in his heart but his body and mind as well. Now finally he understood everything! He had done the most amazing, the most extraordinary thing in his life! Why the hell did it take him so long to figure everything out? With that, Draco laughed hard. So hard that his stomach began aching.

"What is this all about?" Blaise asked upon hearing Draco's laugh. It was a completely different laugh. It was a laugh that showed her genuine pleasure. A— happy laugh? Her face scrunched with repulsion. "I demand you stop laughing at once and tell me what this is all about!" she cried.

Draco finally forced himself to stop. He turned to Blaise, choking and chortling at the same time. "Damn! I can't believe it took me you, of all people, to figure everything out!" he answered. "I finally know now what to do." Then without another word, he hurriedly made his way towards the tavern's exit, leaving Blaise staring after him with confusion, disbelief and anger at the same time. 

He had only one thing on his mind right now and that was to get to Ginny.

==========

"Harry?"

Harry looked up from his glass of butterbeer only to see the unsure look Ginny gave him. Immediately, a smile lit up his face. "Ginny!" he exclaimed while standing up. "You came."

Ginny let out a weak smile as she sauntered towards his table. She plopped herself on the seat across from him while Harry sat down once again. Finally feeling all settled, she turned to him and rested her chin against her hand, eyeing the wall behind him gloomily. It was really surprising for her not to feel the usual uplifting affection she used to feel every time her eyes would land on his face. For the first time in her life, she didn't feel anything at all. She didn't even know why she had come there.

"You've been crying," said Harry instead, noting her eyes all red and puffy. "Why?"

"No, I wasn't crying," she said quickly. She turned away from his scrutinizing gaze. "I just don't feel good," she added. Well, it was partly true, after all. After the major fight she had with Draco, seeing him leave the manor with another woman, feeling suddenly all dizzy and faint and leaving the safety of the manor, completely disregarding the fact that someone was out to kill her, she really didn't feel good.

"You want something then?" Harry asked quickly, noticing how pale she was. He quickly took up the menu that was lying before him on the table. "You want something to eat or something warm to drink?"

"No, no," Ginny murmured, the sudden thought of eating making her a little sick. In fact, after all the food bingeing she did earlier, she now found herself having the sudden urge to throw up. "I'm fine, Harry. Just a little tired, I guess."

"You're not feeling sick, are you?" he asked solicitously, his deep green eyes sparkling with obvious concern. Ginny, for the first time in her life, wished that Harry would just drop everything. 

"A little, I guess," she answered while forcing out a smile. "Must be with the weather. I'm a not winter person, you know," she added. When Harry nodded, she then immediately cleared her throat and looked at him expectantly.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me everything, Gin," Harry began softly. There was slight anger in his voice mixed with disbelief. When she felt his eyes boring through her, she looked away and sighed.

"All right, since when?" she asked flatly.

"Just two days ago," replied Harry. "But I suspected everything was strange after the engagement party," he added.

"How strange?" Ginny asked without even asking, her thoughts too preoccupied thinking about Draco and Blaise having the time of their lives in some lush, luxurious and posh hotel somewhere in Diagon Alley. At that, a slight pang of pain sliced within her as she tried her best not to break down and cry in front of Harry.

Harry frowned at the question. "You surely won't expect me to buy that I'm-in-love-with-Draco Malfoy thing, do you?" he asked.

At the mention of his name, Ginny looked up and focused her attention back to Harry. "Even I don't buy that shit," she murmured sorrowfully. So did she just imagine the look of tenderness in his eyes whenever she would give him a light kiss on his cheek for no apparent reason at all? Did she just imagine the extraordinary gentleness that he would give her everytime they were making love? How about the little things that they would always talk about? Had everything been just a dream? A tiny dream amidst the horrible masquerade they were playing?

"You could've told me everything, Gin," said Harry while pushing his glasses into place. "That way we could've done something than have you marry that prat, Malfoy!" he cried out angrily. Then he looked away from her. "I just can't believe that snake had—"

"What is it to you, Harry?" Ginny suddenly asked, her eyes blankly looking at him. "This is my own problem and I surely wouldn't want you and the others to be involved in my own mess."

At this, Harry gave her a look of disbelief. "We already are involved, Ginny!" he cried out in exasperation. "I'm already involved! Anything that has something to do with you, I want to be involved in it!"

"I just had a problem and I dealt it in my own way," she answered back. "How hard is it to understand, Harry?"

"Well, you could've still said something about the problem to me," said Harry bitterly. "You know I'd always be willing to help you out!"

With that, a sudden laugh escaped Ginny's lips. Harry's eyes widened upon hearing the soft bubbling mirth coming out of her lips. "Yeah, right Harry! Go on and keep telling yourself that," she said amidst her chortling. "You're just a human being, you know. A human being gifted with magic, that's all. Even if You're the Boy Who Lived, there are just some things you can't do!"

"You're wrong," said Harry, his voice already hardening. "I'm willing to do everything for you! I would help you out if you just gave me the chance."

"I already did give you the chance, Harry," said Ginny softly. "In fact, not just you. Ron and Hermione and almost everybody." Then she cast her eyes down. "You're just too busy to pay me much attention."

"Now, don't you go and say that everything's my fault," said Harry caustically. 

"You see now why I didn't tell you everything?" she asked, looking straight at his eyes. "It's because you wouldn't understand."

"Well, you could've at least tried," said Harry with mild sarcasm.

"And what would "trying" do for me with this kind of situation?" she asked. "For goodness sake Harry, everything wasn't at all about me. Everything was about all the people who were depending on me. The children, Selena—" Then she stopped as another whoosh of dizziness swept past her, she momentarily shut her eyes while taking deep, calming breaths. 

"What is happening to you, Ginny? Are you feeling all right?" Harry asked, the embittered expression on his face completely replaced with that of concern. Without thinking, he took her hand with his, his face hardening. "Did Draco do something to you? Did he make you drink something?" he asked, his voice getting angrier by the second, the thought of Draco practicing his dark craft on Ginny sending his blood boiling with rage.

With that, Ginny frowned and forcefully took her hand away form his. "Just what was it about Draco that makes you and Ron and the rest of the guys think Dark Magic and everything horrible?" she spat angrily. 

"Ginny, he's Draco Malfoy," replied Harry. He shook his head with disbelief. "I can't believe I'm having this trivial conversation about his evil ways with you. You, of all people, should know how cruel and nasty he is! Ginny, did you forget what he did to you and your brother? To Hermione?"

"You don't know him, Harry," said Ginny heavily. Surprisingly, anger rose up within her upon hearing him saying something horrible about Draco. "You don't have a single, bloody idea about him!"

"I DO know him, Ginny!" Harry cried out. "He was the one who would always spat your financial difficulties to you and your brother's face. He was also the one who called your sister-in-law Mudblood! He— he was also the one who would always pull nasty pranks on you! Humiliating you in front of his friends and fellow Slytherins! His father was in league with the Dark Lord and—"

"Harry, stop it! This is getting ridiculously childish!"

"I don't give a damn!" Harry burst out. "If that is what it takes for me to win you back then I won't give a rat's ass about being immature!"

"But, Harry—"

"He was a miserable git to you and your family, Ginny!"

"Stop it, please!"

"You want to know how miserable I think he is?" Harry rasped on, ignoring her. "He was so miserable that even his fellow Slytherins hated him. Not just because of the last Quidditch game they lost because of him but because everything was bloody despicable and wretched about him!" Then he smirked at her knowingly. "Don't you think I don't know about what happened that last Quidditch match five years ago, Ginny. That particular match that started everything."

Ginny stared at him with surprise at the mention of the Quidditch game that got her into this mess in the first place. She looked at Harry, her expression unreadable. She swallowed hard. "Then go on and tell everybody what you've found out," she said challengingly. 

"Wizard's debt, Ginny?" he asked softly. Then he smiled without humor. "I just can't believe it took me so long to figure everything out! I remember I saw you falling off your broom and Draco catching you and somehow--"

__

"Wizard's debt," she thought as the memories of the game came wheezing past her mind, Harry's voice already fading into nothingness. She looked up and couldn't see anything but the scene five years ago, the way his hands tightened about her, his gray eyes softening, the first time his lips touched hers… 

"To marry him… Was that what he asked in return?"

Her heart gave a sudden loud jolt, realizations hitting her. Then an indescribable feeling spread inside her chest. It was a different feeling! Warmth, and pain, longing and yearning washing over her simultaneously! It was pleasant and scary at the same time and she never felt this with anybody before! It was simply overwhelming! At that, she turned to Harry, her face lighting up with a thankful smile. Now, she understood everything. 

"You're right, Harry," she said while standing up. "You're absolutely right," she added while she hastily zigzagged her way across the tables and chairs inside the café. Harry immediately stood up and followed her till they were out the door, the snow falling around them. He called her name and Ginny stopped.

"What do you mean, Ginny?" he asked while she took hold of her broom.

"You went after the Snitch," replied Ginny as she mounted her broom, "while Draco went after ME." With that last statement, she gave Harry one last smile and sped into the night, determined to get to Draco.

Harry, upon seeing the radiant smile that grazed her face, knew at that moment that he had lost her forever.

==========

"Draco?" Ginny called out the minute she set foot inside the front hall. She ran towards their chamber, her chest bursting out with so much love that it hurt. She wanted to tell him everything! Whether, he was feeling the same way or not, she didn't care anymore! All that mattered was to see him, to feel him against her, to tell him how much she loved him. 

She then hastily threw the doors of their chamber open. "Draco? Are you home yet?" she called out while going quickly inside. When nobody answered back, she frowned and sat sadly on their bed.

"Where could he be?" she found herself asking, completely disregarding the fact that he was actually out with his Blaise. With this newfound feeling, she couldn't find herself thinking of something bad or dreadful about him. Then she remembered the visions a while ago. She smiled and sprang up from the bed.

"The necklace!" she exclaimed as she bounded over to her vanity. The necklace would tell her where Draco might be. She hastily opened her vanity drawer but what she saw made her gasp in surprise. 

There was no velvet box!

At that, Ginny felt her nerves twisting. She could've sworn she put the necklace back in there! She immediately opened the rest of her drawers, fear coursing through her veins. "I couldn't have lost it!" Ginny cried out while desperately opening and rummaging her drawers. 

When no velvet box appeared, she then quickly went towards their closets, the thought of what Draco might say about the missing heirloom making her nervous even more. When no box still appeared, Ginny gave up on the closet and settled for Draco's own desk. She frantically opened all of his drawers messily only to be rewarded with nothing but papers and parchments. 

She was about to give up the search and mope about when she felt something peculiar tugging her attentions back towards Draco's desk. She looked down only to notice a tiny lock on the left side of the table. It was so small that you wouldn't have noticed it was there unless you took a closer look. Frowning, she knelt down. Running her hands along the wooden panel of the tiny drawer, she pulled. It was locked. She tried again, but it still wouldn't budge. Shaking her head, too curious to even think about Draco's privacy, she pulled out her wand and tapped it once against the tiny lock.

__

"Alohomora!"

Instantly, her wand lit up and tiny, white sparks shot up from its tip. Ginny bit her lip and slowly pulled the drawer. To her delight, it smoothly eased out. Peering inside, she saw the box of the necklace. She heaved a sigh as relief immediately washed over her. She was about to take the box out of the drawer when a tiny bottle suddenly caught her eyes. Frowning with curiosity, she took the tiny bottle out of the secret compartment and held it before her, against the light.

She recognized the bottle.

Instantly, tears filled her eyes. Disbelief and pain mixed with desperate denial flooded inside her. 

__

"But what's there to deny?" she asked herself. 

Everything was very clear.

Staring back at her, its dark-stained glass casting a dim sheer of light across her face, was a whole bottle of Xiphias Potion.

  


****

End of Part 12 


	13. The Vampire's anti-Vampire Serum

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Author's notes: Tada! Another chapter done!!! Thank you's and my heartwarming thanks go to all the people who beta-read, reviewed my previous chapter, exchanged ideas and such about this installment.

Okay, I have noticed that most of the people have already forgotten what the **Xiphias Potion** was. L Anyway, the **Xiphias Potion** was mentioned in Part 11. It was actually the poisonous stuff in Ginny's coffee that Puffy accidentally drank. It's a strong tranquilizer used for Marine Magical Beasts in the Wizarding World but when given to humans and other DOMESTICATED pets such as the Puffskein, it's very deadly. 

****

VioletJersey, thanks so much for pointing out that 'bloodshed' thing and for stopping me making Draco and Ginny a pair of sex-crazed maniacs on the loose! ^_~ That was like a wake-up call for me! ::lol:: Now, that I think about it… hmmm… what if--- ::cackles evilly:: **Foot massage, anyone? Foot scrubs?** (that's a private joke, btw) ::lol again::

****

Joan a.k.a. **VioletJersey**, it was so nice meeting you at last! And thanks so much for the wonderful and useful book! I really, really, appreciate it! It was very touching and sweet of you to give me something considering we've just met. Thanks again!

****

Alli-chan, I know I've said this before, again and again, but I truly meant it. Just what would I do without you? Thanks so much for pointing out the 'Snape incident' Actually, just revised it. You and Fred both pointed that out, to tell you honestly! ^_^

I hope that you, **Fred**, had a wonderful time in Malta… (wherever that is) Thanks so much for squeezing my fic in your schedule! Really appreciate it! Thanks a million also for bearing with my horrible grammar… yeesshhh… 

Oh, I'm desperately appealing to **Sky's two friends who recommended this fic for her to read!!! **Please, if you're reading this, do tell Sky that I didn't neglect her long review and her request. **Actually I sent her an e-mail with the un-revised part 13 **but it bounced back. I tried sending one again, it still bounced back. I tried looking for another one of her e-mail addresses but I found none. Anyway, to Sky's two friends, please tell her that **I didn't neglect her request.** I'm just so sorry that she hadn't received my e-mails… Anyway, I'm dedicating this chapter to her.

Another thing, I was not really aware until now that you put the wedding ring on your **left ring finger and not on your right**. I've always thought that it was on the right. Anyway, I already had it corrected. Thanks so much for pointing that out! 

Here's part 13!!! Enjoy!

****

  


Serpent's Bride XIII – The Vampire's anti-Vampire Serum

_  
_

Staring back at her, its dark-stained glass casting a dim ray of light across her face, was a whole bottle of Xiphias Potion.

  


Ginny stared at the bottle containing the poisonous liquid with disbelief, her brown eyes already spilling tears. Instantly, memories of that particular morning whizzed inside her head. She remembered the poisoned coffee, Puffy… She felt her lower lip quivering as her hands began to tremble, a most horrible conclusion forming inside her mind even before she could wonder how in God's name the necklace got there. 

__

"So it was he?" her brain asked.

"No," she said aloud. She shook her head. "No, it can't be!" she said again, willing herself to believe what her heart was saying, willing herself to believe that she hadn't found the bottle inside his secret drawer.

__

"And why do you think he would hide it some place where you would likely not notice?"

At that, thoughts began churning inside her head. It was right. If it wasn't him, then why would he even place the potion inside his secret compartment? What's more, why would he even HAVE Xiphias potion? Having such a dangerous potion was a big no-no for a 'normal' wizarding household, wasn't it? 

__

"What normal? He's a Malfoy!" her brain insisted She frowned as horrible thoughts about her recent 'accidents' resurfaced inside her head. Questions immediately flooded her mind.

Wasn't he the one who saw to the carriage first when she and Narcissa went off to do their Christmas shopping? And that particular carriage nearly took her life, hadn't it? And what about the Xiphias potion now? Other than the fact that she found it inside his drawer, the ingredients to make this kind of potion could only be bought in Knockturn Alley. But then, she saw him coming out from the Dark Wizard's place two weeks before Christmas, right? The same day that the carriage was sabotaged!

__

"That is not true," she found her heart saying.

Then the thought about the 'accidents' filled her head once again. Then there were the knives— _"Wake up and smell the coffee, Virginia!" _her brain argued fiercely.

__

"But why would he do such a thing? Why would he want me dead?"

"Because you're getting 201 million Galleons, you fool!"

She let out a loud gasp. Yes, she would be getting 201 million Galleons! She would be getting _HIS_ 201 million Galleons! With a sum as big as that on her head, she was a lucrative wife indeed. If she was dead, Draco would definitely get all the money for himself! Draco and Blaise were probably in on this together! He was probably having an affair with her. After all, she _did_ see him leaving the Zabini Estate a while ago. Then after the fight they had, he left with her again. Maybe they were the ones plotting against her! And to think that he had been locking her up in the manor all along! It was a miracle that she hadn't found herself bathing in her own blood already. Narcissa was wrong! Draco was insane, like his father!

Ginny heaved as a fresh set of tears rolled down her cheeks. Everything was becoming very clear now. Maybe Draco was planning to stage an accident that would finish her off, then cry and mope about how painful it was losing a wife, and in the progress, earning Vladimir's sympathy. Then with him dying, Vlad surely wouldn't have second thoughts about leaving the rest of his fortune to Draco. With her out of the way, Draco would get everything for himself and Blaise! Everything was falling into place! He had just been playing with her all along!

Her chest immediately constricted with excruciating pain. She sat there, the pain numbing her whole body, her eyes glazed as she stared blankly at nothing. So she was right then? Everything was just a dream amidst this horrible masquerade they were playing. The little talks they used to have, the way she would rest her head on his stomach, his fingers playing through her hair while they busied themselves with their own books. The gentle and tender nights where they would answer to the sweet calling of their bodies— everything was just a part of his plans! He lied to her! And to think that she had fallen in love with him. Such a thought sent another spasm of pain through her heart. 

She clutched her chest and shut her eyes. It had never occurred to her to believe the truth people said about broken hearts. Now, she finally believed them as she felt her heart literally breaking into pieces. It was so painful that she could die! And just thinking about how gullible and stupid she was to even think that he was feeling the same way made her chest constrict with extreme grief even more.

__

"If you don't snap out of it, you'll surely find yourself dead!" her brain hissed furiously. 

At that, Ginny blinked. "Oh my god, he's going to kill me!" she said aloud, finally snapping out of her trance. Mustering all of what was left of her courage, she quickly let the bottle drop uselessly inside the drawer and forced herself up from the floor. As much as it pained her, common sense ruled inside her head. She had to get out of there! There was just no sense in staying and letting her eyes run dry. What good would crying do if she would later on be dead? There was so much time for that later on! But for now, she had to save herself! 

Her eyes then traveled towards the two sets of clocks on the wall. One told 'Wizard' time while the other one told 'Muggle' time. She focused her attention on the 'Wizard' clock only to make her nerves jump. The only hand was near to pointing at Draco's name which signified that her husband was probably on his way home. Instantly, panic rose within her, making her forget the pain temporarily. 

"Twenty more minutes," she murmured as she frantically ran across the room. She grabbed the only bag she could find and began stuffing some of her clothes inside, leaving her heavy gowns and some of her expensive dresses behind, taking only what was necessary. Then she went about their chamber, grabbing anything her hands could carry and stuffing them inside the bag. She gave her book collection a look of longing as she hastily zipped the bag closed. Then bending down, she peered under her bed.

"Sweetie!" she called out. She squinted against the dark almost empty space in front of her. "Sweetie, are you there?"

Instantly, a loud mew echoed inside the room as her cat slowly emerged from her hiding place, yawning and stretching, completely oblivious about her master's present predicament Ginny immediately grabbed her pet with her hands, resulting in a set of loud and terrified screeches by the cat. It wriggled and squirmed against Ginny's small hands, fighting to get free. 

"Shh, not so loud. Mother might hear us," Ginny scolded softly as she forcefully put her cat in her little cage. Once inside the cage, it suddenly let out a loud, foreboding hiss with its back hair all standing up on ends as if to frighten her. It stared at her, its eyes glowing angrily. Ginny frowned at the unusual behavior of her pet but she nevertheless, closed the cage door shut.

Suddenly, the thought of Narcissa brought fresh set of pain within her. Just what would the gentle and caring woman say if she found Ginny suddenly gone? Should she say goodbye? 

__

"Don't be an idiot!" her brain hissed again. 

Ginny shook her head and forced such disturbing thoughts away from her as she gathered her cloak and her wand. With everything settled, her bag on her right hand, her cat's cage on the other, her wand safely inside her pocket, she hastily ran towards the door. It was a good thing that she had left the Firebolt carelessly lying in the front hall. In that way, she wouldn't have to sneak to the Broom Chamber again, which would be terribly time consuming. She was about to throw the doors open when she found herself taking a deep breath. She stopped and turned. 

For the last time, she let her eyes roam around the chamber where she had given most of her everything, body and soul, to the man that she once considered her worst enemy. To the only man she had ever married. To the man that she had learned to love. Happy memories of everything about him, everything that they had shared filled her till she couldn't help it anymore. With lips quivering, hands trembling, chest tightening and eyes moistening, she quickly turned around and threw the doors open before the memories could change her mind. 

It left her no other choice.

"Good bye, Draco," she said as she ran towards the stairs, her tears falling heavily from her eyes as a rain would fall from a stormy sky.

==========

A smile of genuine happiness was actually fighting out to get free from his lips.

"Ginny!" Draco called out as he set foot inside his manor. He made his way towards the grand staircase, ignoring the servant who was about to take his coat. "Ginny!" he called out again while climbing up the stairs two steps at a time, unmindful of the puddle of melted snow he was creating with his every step. Then as if it had taken forever, he finally reached the enormous doors of their chambers. He was about to open it when he stopped.

Would it be wise to let her see him in disarray, his shirt having the liquor stain on it, which was already turning a nasty shade of yellow and his breath reeking of alcohol? What would she think if he suddenly burst with all the strong emotions he felt for her in this kind of state? He shook his head. _No, it won't be wise_, he thought. Other than it would be a terrible shock to her, Ginny would surely think that everything he said was just because of the alcohol. She wouldn't believe a single word about it. It was also without an ounce of doubt that insane thoughts about what he did with Blaise would surely rattle on inside her stubborn brain cells. After all, she did see them leaving together. His sorry and drunken state would surely provoke that thought even more and the last thing that he needed right now was to get her terribly angry now that he had just learned how much he loved her. 

With that, Draco made his way towards his own study to compose and fix himself up. Once inside, he closed the door and went straight to the pitcher of water resting on top of the small wooden table just beside the couch. Then taking out his almost soiled handkerchief, he hastily dipped the cloth, wrung it and began wiping his face with it. He did the process of cleaning his face twice before he felt satisfied. Frowning with mild irritation, he shrugged his coat off and tossed it messily on the couch. Then he took his wand out and flicked it against his liquor-stained shirt, cursing Blaise all the while. Almost immediately, the yellow stain disappeared much to his satisfaction. 

__

"Ah, the wonders of magic," he thought as he made his way towards his desk to retrieve a bottle of his Sobering Solution inside his drawers. He always kept a bottle of this caffeine-rich liquid inside his study. It was very useful everytime he would come home drunk. It was just not his habit to stand in front of his mother all sloshed and inebriated. Then without a moment's hesitation, he easily unscrewed the cap and drank the remaining dark brown liquid in two gulps, his face scrunching with disgust upon tasting the bitter tang of the solution, seeping from his tongue down to his throat. 

When the caffeine mixed with the potent Pepperup Potion in Solution Level A, the strongest of its kind, hit his stomach, Draco instantly felt his insides burning up as blood quickly rushed inside him as if filling his whole body. Slowly, the light-headedness disappeared and the hazy images ceased to appear before his eyes. The potion proved to be working well since the stench of alcohol was completely eradicated from his breath. After several seconds of waiting, he straightened up, feeling renewed and refreshed. He was about to throw the empty bottle aside when something suddenly struck him. Then without a word, he found himself chuckling. Then the chuckle turned into a laugh. A very amused and loud laugh.

Since when did he fuss about himself when it came to women? Since when did it matter if a woman would like him or not? Well, that thing was out of the question since he was always liked by women. But then, now that he thought about it... Well, he never did get 'no' for an answer anyway, so he didn't bother with his looks. It was just Virginia! With her, Draco found the challenge! Before, everything was just a game! A nasty of game of male egos. And before he knew it, he was falling… helplessly… deeply…

He shook his head and made for the door. Stepping outside his study, he made his way back towards their chambers. Much to his surprise, he felt his hands actually shaking with nervousness as he stopped before their chamber door, hesitation filling him. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if Ginny threw something at him the moment he stepped inside the room? No doubt, something heavy or fragile, something that would definitely hurt him. And another thing: he wasn't that good when it came to showing his emotions, let alone talking about what he felt. What if the wrong words came tumbling out of his mouth? He would look stupid. Worse, he could even lose her. At the thought, fear spread inside him, and the thought of walking away became enticing. But then, much as he would like to run away, the raging emotions inside him was getting too hard to handle! He would just burst if he didn't get this out of his system!

__

"Then tell her and be done with it," his brain scolded. 

__

"But I don't know how?" he thought, licking his lips. _"I don't know what to say."_

"Idiot! Don't say what you know!" it scolded again. Draco found himself frowning at this. _"Say what you feel."_

Draco took a deep breath. If he wanted to get some peace of mind, then he would have to tell her and know her answer. If she said yes, then it would all be cool! If no, then, well—_"Hey, nobody says no to you, remember?"_ his ego shouted suddenly. Draco smiled. "Right," he mumbled as his hand started turning the knob. 

The door creaked open and Draco silently entered, poking his head in first then striding his way inside. He frowned when he noticed the peculiar stillness of the chamber. His eyes turned towards the bed only to find it empty. 

"Gin?" he called out softly, walking towards the bed. "Ginny?"

When no answer came, he walked towards the wall separating her room from his. Maybe she had decided to retire in her own chamber, he thought. He tried pushing it lightly, expecting it to be locked but when the wall budged easily, he let out a frown. "Virginia?" he called on, stepping inside. He noticed the bed, empty and unused. 

Silence.

He didn't even hear the automatic loud mew of that blasted cat everytime he would come home!

He frowned as panic rose within him. Knowing how much danger Ginny was in now, Draco found himself having frantic, horrid thoughts moving quickly inside his head What if he suddenly discovered her all bloody or floating, lifeless, inside the tub? Oh, Good Lord, he wouldn't be able to take it! At that, he quickly ran into the bathroom and heaved a sigh of relief upon finding no floating Ginny inside. He rushed back to his chamber only to notice, yet again, nobody there. He was about to run outside when he noticed the almost disarrayed state of the chamber around him.

He looked around to see her closet doors left open, her gowns and dresses messily scattered on the floor, creating a wrinkled pool of silk and satin before his feet. It seemed like most of her everyday and 'light' dresses were gone. He turned to her vanity only to find her intricately designed drawers left open as well. Her brushes, combs, powders and cosmetic potions and solutions were all scattered before the table before the mirror. Then his eyes went to his own desk to see his papers and parchments, quills and bottles of ink all messily outside of his drawers.

Draco frowned thoughtfully. 

From the looks of it, a robbery took place. For a moment there, he felt a cold sweat break at the thought of the important Zabini documents inside his compartments. What if Victor Zabini planned all this using Blaise to lure him out of the manor? Well, after all, he was a Death Eater and a foul play such as that was highly possible. And his wife? What if he-- Draco immediately made his way towards his desk and quickly opened one of his drawers.

He heaved a sigh of relief when he found the folders all sealed up and neatly piled inside, just the way he left them. Then he frowned again. If Victor Zabini wasn't behind this, then who is? If this was a robbery then why wasn't everything missing? Well, that is counting some of Virginia's clothes off but— Then he stopped. Some of his wife's clothes were missing. Another set of disturbing thoughts ran inside his head. Did Ginny— 

"No, she won't do a thing such as that," he convinced himself. "Maybe she just went to the east wing or to mother." 

She probably decided to occupy the room in the east wing, leave him alone in here to suffer all the 'coldness' of the night and trash his chamber to get back at him as a bonus. At that stupid resolution, he turned around and was about to look for her outside when he suddenly noticed his secret compartment open. 

"What the hell—" 

He bent down and was about to inspect when a single, different looking piece of parchment caught his attention. He picked it up on the floor and focused his eyes on the almost legible scrawl on the paper. After a moment of sitting and reading there, anger mixed with mad jealousy rushed inside him. It was from Harry! And judging from the state of the chamber and Ginny's missing clothes, Draco suspected that maybe---

"No, she wouldn't do a thing like that!" he said aloud again, his fingers already crumpling Harry's letter in silent fury. 

Sure, they had had a big fight but Ginny wasn't the type of woman to do a horrible thing like that, he convinced himself. _"Is she?" _his brains asked. _"Yes,"_ he thought. But deep inside, why did he feel— so afraid and unsure? After all, he had been despicable to her. But still, there must be a really, really, good reason behind all this! IF she did run away with Harry, that is. Then as if on cue, he found the answer when his eyes accidentally landed on his open hidden drawer.

Inside the drawer were a velvet black box and the whole bottle of Xiphias potion, staring up at him silently. He stared at it first grimly, his eyes digesting the vivid image of the purplish dark liquid the bottle was projecting. Then after several seconds of thinking, he swore out loud, realizations crashing upon him! 

Ginny probably thought that he was the one who was trying to kill her! Maybe she realized that he wanted her dead because of the fortune? And didn't she see him leaving with Blaise? She was probably thinking that they were the ones plotting against her. Then with all that, she presumably went all afraid and ballistic and decided to run away from him! Run away to Harry for refuge and safety! 

"What a stupid thing to do!" Draco roared angrily. 

For all they knew, the killer was probably lurking about, waiting for a chance like this! What if it was Harry himself? After all, he just had an idea on what Harry must be feeling right now. Losing a girl he loved so much to his lifetime nemesis could surely drive a man insane with jealousy and anger! Well, although he admitted that suspecting Harry was a bit stupid, still, in this kind of situation, everybody was a suspect! Even him! But Ginny suspecting him? It was really preposterous! 

__

"Well, can you blame her?" he insides scolded. _"After all, you had all the 'valid' reasons for wanting her dead."_

At that, worry, anxiety panic, anger and jealousy rushed inside him at the same time. Where the hell could he find her? Surely, if Harry was indeed planning to finish her off, he would take her someplace far away from Godric's Hollow, his hometown. He shut his eyes momentarily, getting more and more helpless by the minute. And why did she even choose to go to Harry? He found himself asking unconsciously. He stood up and was about to call two of his servants for help when he remembered the rose pin.

"Yes," he murmured excitedly, remembering the weird thing that happened the last Christmas. "It's possible." 

He took the rose pin out of his pocket and held it before him, its red shining petals instantly casting brilliant scarlet tiers across his paling face. Ever since she had given him the brooch, Draco would always feel this 'thing,' knowing what she felt or knowing where she might be. He surmised that the serpent necklace probably worked that way too! Maybe that was how Ginny knew he had come from the Zabini's a while ago! Confusing as it all was, Draco, as of now, didn't give a damn why the heirlooms would do something as mysterious as that! Right now, this was his only shot to finding where Ginny could be.

Concentrating hard, he held the brooch before him and stared at it. He freed his mind of all anxiety and forced himself to just think about Ginny. He waited for the familiar thud in his chest but after several minutes of standing there and actually feeling quite stupid, he didn't see anything. He didn't even feel anything! Then he remembered the black box he saw inside his compartment. 

"Damn it! She didn't take the necklace with her!" Draco said aloud. 

Maybe the reason why it wouldn't work was because she had left the necklace behind! But that was— he swore out loud, feeling pathetic. Without a moment's hesitation, he ran outside of the chamber yelling for his valet.

Upon hearing the thunder of Draco's angry voice echoing within the silent halls of the manor, faint but quick footsteps immediately rang inside the entryway as several ghosts and human servants began rushing outside of their quarters. Instantly, the quiet hall rang with murmurs of confusion and anxiety as they saw the grim look on their master's face. 

Draco looked about him while walking briskly towards the stair's balcony. "Hammilton!" he yelled again. 

"Yes, young Master?" the ghost immediately asked while floating before him. Surprisingly, there was an apologetic tone in his usual flat, woeful voice.

As his reply, Draco looked below him only to see a huge number of the family servants all looking up at him apprehensively. When he was sure he got their attention, he cleared his throat noisily.

"A most distressing thing happened this night," he began, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Your Mistress has gone missing and—" he stopped as murmurs of confusion and bafflement immediately reverberated inside the massive hall. Draco loudly shouted for everyone to be quiet. When the last mumbles subsided, he took a deep breath.

"You are all aware of how perilous everything is for your Mistress as of now, are you not?" Draco asked sharply. When the servants let out choruses of 'yes' and 'right,' he shook his head. "Then why the hell is she gone!" he yelled, his eyes narrowing angrily. At that, a tension-filled hush settled inside the manor. "I gave specific instructions to guard the place, to keep her from going out until the investigation is over!"

"But, sir, we didn't see her coming out," replied William, his stable guard. "I was guarding the front gates together with Avner and Oliver! We were right there, patrolling the grounds and we didn't see even a shadow of the young Mistress!"

"Master Draco, one of the brooms is missing!" One of the girl servants shouted suddenly. "I checked the Broom Chamber and found out the Firebolt is gone!"

At that, Draco raked his fingers tiredly through his hair and heaved an impatient sigh. He was about to yell again when a soft and gentle voice spoke beside him.

"Draco, what's all this racket?"

He turned sideways. Narcissa was frowning in confusion and walking slowly towards him. Sensing the strained atmosphere about them, she tightened her robe about her and hastily made for the balustrade to see the crowd of servants all looking up at them frantically. Her frown deepened.

"Draco, what is this? What—"

"Virginia's missing, Mother," he replied bluntly. 

Narcissa's eyes widened. "What?" she asked shrilly. "But why? Where did she go?" she asked frantically. Obviously, she was also aware of the danger Ginny was in.

"That's what we're trying to find out," hissed Draco as he turned his attention back to his servants. "All of you listen!" he shouted. "Everybody will look for Virginia tonight! Nobody will stop until she is found! Look everywhere! In the grounds, in the woods, just everywhere! Now that one of the brooms is missing, she might have flown away from here so I won't limit the search ground just inside the manor! Search everywhere, inside and out! I don't care if it will take all night! All I want is for her to be found!" He then turned to William. "You, William, will form your own search party! Three or four should be enough. And it should be all men! Have your wands ready and you will search outside! Avner and Oliver, you do the same!"

"Yes, sir!" the three men chorused and immediately began calling out names. Once the search group was formed, they bowed and quickly went on to do the task. 

Then Draco turned to his ghost valet. "Hammilton, you and the other ghosts will take care of the chamber. You'd be surprised at how messy it is right now."

"Of course, sir," the elderly ghost agreed bowing his transparent head once. When Draco acknowledged him, Hammilton then, at once, rounded up the remaining four ghosts with him. 

"And you will help the men and the women in the search later on!" called out Draco as they floated away from him. He then turned his attention back at the remaining servants below him.

"Agnes!" he called out at one of the middle-aged woman in the crowd. 

"Yes, sir?" the woman servant quickly answered.

"Take and divide the remaining women and form out a search group as well. You'll need everybody since this manor has a total of 23 rooms excluding all the secret escape routes and passages," he ordered grimly. "You will search inside the manor, leave the grounds to the men! Talk to the portraits and open every single room including the ones in the dungeons! Don't leave a single room unsearched! I give you permission to go into my private study!" 

"Yes, sir!" Agnes replied and began calling out names and leading all the ladies with her. 

"Emma!" he suddenly called.

"Yes, sir?" the girl who checked for the Broom Chamber stopped abruptly upon hearing her Master's voice calling her name. She turned around and waited for his orders, the rest of the ladies leaving her behind. 

"Come up here for a while," he said, beckoning for the woman to come to him. At that, the young squib climbed up the stairs and ran towards him. 

"Go with my mother for the map of the secret passage ways," he said softly. "A map is terribly required to activate the hidden doors. After that, pick out the fastest owl in the Owlery and send a message to the Ministry of Magic, in the Department of Magical Law and Enforcement to be exact. Inform them of the current situation here. Address the letter to the Deputy of the Department, his name is Higgs, Terence Higgs. Use the family seal and he will know that the letter is confidential."

"Right away, sir," replied Emma as Narcissa flicked her wand and summoned her son's coat, surmising that her son would surely leave the manor to take care of something personal. After a moment, the heavy fabric of the coat floated out of the study and made its way towards them.

"You think it wise not to inform her older brother, Ronald, about this, Draco?" Narcissa suddenly asked, handing him his coat. 

"No," Draco admitted. "But the last thing I need is for her brothers to come running in here and killing me by chopping my head off with an axe and accusing me of not taking care of their sister before I can do anything," he added flatly. He shook his head tiredly. "But you need not worry. I will tell them myself." 

"How about your grandfather? I really think that he should be informed about this."

Draco looked away grimly. "As for that," he began while draping on the coat his mother handed her, "I'll take care of everything personally." Then he looked away. _"After Harry and I settle the score,"_ he thought grimly.

"Very well," said Narcissa. 

Then she looked at his son's thoughtful gaze and quickly read his mind. She was actually aware that he was risking everything here since the secret passage ways of the manor were not to be disclosed to the servants. But seeing the look of worry in his face and the obvious anxiety written on them, she couldn't do anything but trust her son's judgement. After all, they could afford to change the hidden passages once this was all over. At that, she let out a sigh and immediately bade Emma to follow her.

With the two women already making their way to his mother's private chambers to get the map, Draco pocketed his wand and made his way swiftly towards the Broom Chamber. Seeing the Firebolt already gone, he settled himself on his trusted, old Nimbus 2001 and shot off into the dark night. 

If there was one person who could tell him where his wife could be as of this moment, then it would, no doubt, be Harry Potter. 

==========

"Young mistress!"

"I need to speak to grandfather, Fields," said Ginny while standing outside Vladimir's Manor late that same night. She pulled her cloak tighter about her to keep her teeth from chattering because of the cold. 

The ghost valet stared at her for a while, its eyes nearly popping out of its smoky head upon noticing the broom floating beside her with a bag and a little cage with an almost frozen cat staring at him. He turned to Ginny only to see her all disheveled before him. It shocked him to see her cloak all wrinkled and ruined, her hair shining with bits of snow and her face actually pale from the extreme cold air. How could the Mistress of Malfoy Manor look so— so— wild?

"What on earth--" He broke off as the young woman stomped her foot impatiently.

"Fields, it's cold out here!" Ginny cried with displeasure. "Won't you let me in now!" 

At that, the ghost immediately stood aside and let the soaking woman in. "Of course, Madam." 

He then gathered the broom and all her things on it and settled them all beside the door while Ginny quickly stepped inside, heaving a grateful sigh upon feeling the cozy warmth of the manor against her frozen skin.

Ginny shrugged the cloak off and handed the heavy material to him. "Where's grandfather, Fields?" she asked as she walked towards the fairly lit hall of Vlad Manor. "I need to speak to him." 

The ghost immediately floated in front of her as if stopping her, much to her surprise. "Master Vladimir is currently—er, indisposed, mistress." 

Hearing this, Ginny looked at his floating form suspiciously. Since when did Fields learn to say things the informal way? And was he actually stuttering? She stared at him, her eyes narrowing quizzically. "I'm sure grandfather wouldn't mind if I see him at this time of night," she said while stepping aside. Then with one last look, she quickly continued on her way.

Seeing the look of stubborn determination on Ginny's face, Fields shook his head helplessly. Then realizing what he must have looked like, he cleared his throat and suddenly held his head high. "Perhaps, the young mistress would care to stay for the night?" he inquired formally while floating quickly beside her.

"No, Fields I just have to see Grandfather. I'll be leaving in a little while," replied Ginny ignoring his attempts to make her stop. Now that she thought about it, something was definitely going on. Fields was sure acting all funny and unusual. Her desire to see Vladimir got stronger. "This is very, very important."

"I'm sure that the mistress won't mind waiting till the morning," the ghost insisted upon noting Ginny already halfway through the second floor hallway. "A chamber will immediately be prepared, of course, should the young mistress wish to stay the night."

Ginny didn't answer and quickened her gait when she reached the dimly lit hall leading to Vladimir's private chambers. When she was about to reach the massive oak doorway of the old man's room, Fields immediately sailed past and settled himself before her, blocking her from the shiny wooden entrance.

"I deeply apologize, young Mistress," said Fields, his voice half-apologetic, half-pleading. "But the Master specifically ordered no visitors tonight."

Ginny stared at him first, arms crossed, foot tapping against the stone floor. Then after a moment of tense waiting and deciding, she finally made up her mind to go past his freezing, hazy form, much to the shock of the valet. Instantly, she felt her teeth chattering . It was like walking through an icy cloud of smoke with frozen gaseous materials sticking against her, gnawing out the warmth inside her body. She rubbed her hands together as the cold mist-like substance of the ghost clung to her skin. She ignored it and took hold of the door's heavy knobs. 

"I'm sure he won't mind, Fields," she said forcefully, and she turned her hands slightly only to hear the faint clicking sounds of the metal door handles, finally opening up for her.

"Young mistress!" Fields called helplessly as Ginny directly marched inside the dark chamber. "Young mistress!"

Ginny ignored the desperate calls of Vladimir's valet which was hastily floating behind her. She took a couple of quick, big steps only to come upon a huge drape-covered bed with a bedridden looking man lying on it. Her mouth slightly dropped open upon seeing his face, so old and so weary. She slowed her pace and noticed his skin, pale and deathly white. She let out a little gasp when she recognized the sickly sleeping man to be none other than Draco's grandfather!

"Fields, what is the meaning of this?" Ginny asked with alarm, she looked at him then quickly back at the lying Vladimir. "Is he sick? Is he dead?"

"Young mistress—"

"How long has it been like this?" she asked frantically, her hand automatically landing on the almost knarled skin of his forehead. "Good lord, he's so cold!"

"Who's there?"

"Did you call for the doctor or—anybody?" Ginny rattled on frantically. "Why wasn't anyone of us informed? How bad is he?"

"Mistress, I—"

"Fields, who's there, I say? Is he here?"

Ginny stopped her fretting when she heard the almost inaudible bark that came out of Vladimir's thinning lips. She looked down only to see him slowly opening his eyes. When Vladimir's weakening gaze landed on her face, he let out a series of choking noises. She let out a distressed sort of sigh. This was not the Vladimir she used to know.

"What is she doing here, Fields?" he asked weakly. "Didn't I mention no visitors?"

"Yes, master but the young mistress insisted that she saw you," the ghost answered, shooting Ginny a look of death. 

"Why didn't you mention this in your letters?" she asked grimly instead. 

"I think it's not your concern if I decided not to, eh?" he replied sharply amidst his weakening state. Then his eyes riveted towards his valet. "Leave us."

"As you wish, Master," Fields hurriedly answered, and he quickly sailed away from them, leaving Ginny alone with Vladimir.

"So, it's true then?" Ginny asked once alone with him. "You're dying?"

"What does it look like?" growled Vladimir. 

"For a man so sick, you sure don't look that pitiful to earn someone else's sympathy. I suggest that you lay off the bit about snarling and growling. Believe me, it's a big turn-off," quipped Ginny suddenly, crossing her arms over her chest When she heard the almost distinguishable snarl of displeasure coming out from his lips, she shook her head tiredly and decided to change the subject. "Tell me, is it true that you need blood?"

"I've sworn not to partake any human blood as long as I live," snapped Vladimir. "Even if I die, I won't drink human blood!"

"Why?"

"It's none of your business!"

Ginny tried her best to remain passive and remember that she was actually talking to a sick and stubborn man. "Then how come you survived, after all these years, without taking human blood?" she inquired knowingly. "It's food for your kind, is it not?"

Vladimir growled again. 

Ginny sighed impatiently.

"Animal blood, is it?" she asked.

"They are not enough to sustain my inhuman hunger," he rasped after a spasm of coughing and hacking. "Too cold for my system's preference."

Ginny sat there thoughtfully. After a moment, she spoke. "What if you drink human blood now? How long would it take you to rejuvenate?"

At the sudden question, Vladimir's eyes widened angrily. "The hell I will!" he cried in spite of his feebled voice. He banged his fist violently against the soft cushions of his bed once to show his indignation, if not through his voice, then through his actions. "I'd rather die than take human blood!"

Instead of answering, Ginny shook her head, stood up and made her way towards his desk. Ignoring Vladimir's frenzied growling and grunting, she expertly opened one his huge drawers only to bring out a single writing parchment, his quill and his ink. Then sitting down, she took out her wand and tapped it against the tiny lamp sitting quietly at the corner. When a faint orange light burned at its clothed wick, she began writing, making light scratching noises inside the chamber, dipping the quill in the bottle of raven liquid once in a while. 

"What the bloody hell are you doing there?" he barked feebly. "What are you writing?"

"Something that would be of much use to us," said Ginny promptly while bringing the parchment to her face and lightly blowing against it for the ink to dry. "You should've told me about your condition earlier."

"Then what? Have you and that blasted grandson of mine rushing here and fussing about me?" snarled Vladimir as Ginny carefully rolled the parchment. 

At the mention of Draco's name, Ginny felt her chest twisting once again. She looked away in order not to show the fresh, heart wrenching ache his memory brought within her. Instead, she cleared her throat and summoned Fields.

"You called, mistress?" the ghost answered. He quickly floated through the wall towards her upon sensing the urgency in her voice.

"Yes," answered Ginny softly, and handed him the rolled parchment. "Have this delivered. I need the answer right away."

"Very well, madam," said Fields, and he floated quickly away from them. 

Ginny made her way back to the desk only to notice an ornamented letter opener resting beside the heavy paperweight on the table. Without thinking, she picked up the sharp, glistening blade and made her way towards the bed.

"That's a letter for your husband, wasn't it?" grunted Vladimir. His black eyes narrowed with anger. "I won't have him marching in here and frolicking about joyfully!"

"Why do you say that?" asked Ginny as she settled herself beside the bed, the letter opener behind her back. 

"Because if he sees me dying then it would mean that he, no, the both of you, would finally have my fortune!" he answered. "I simply wouldn't want to see him jumping up for joy, seeing my weakening state! I won't even have him see me looking like this!"

A soft, mirthless chuckle came out of Ginny's lips. "Then you're in for a rude awakening, grandfather," she said while bringing the letter opener above his face. "But first—" She broke off when Vladimir let out a dry laugh.

"You're going to kill me, woman?" he snarled, seeing the sharp lethal object staring back at him dangerously. 

"No," said Ginny simply. She brought her right arm above his head and placed the blade against it, it's cold metal grazing the creamy white and tepid under skin of her arm. "I'm going to feed you."

Realizing what she was about to do, Vladimir's eyes flashed with anger. "You stop this nonsense immediately!" he cried out. "I already made a vow!"

"The hell you did!" 

And with that, Ginny quickly slashed her arm with the blade till her skin horribly opened up. A deep red gash became quite visible before Vladimir's horror-stricken face. She let out a soft hiss of pain as blood came out sprouting from the open wound. Forcing herself not to wince, she threw the blade on the floor and placed her bleeding skin just above Vladimir's dry lips. She squeezed her right arm with her left to force more blood out. 

When his mouth felt the thick red liquid coming out from the young woman's skin, immense hunger immediately swept up inside him, body and soul. He unwillingly opened his lips wider, filled his mouth with the vibrant life-giving red liquid, quenching the unsatisfied thirst and the unfulfilled hunger his half-mortal body was screaming for. It was a hunger he never felt before! It was a hunger that reminded him of the sweet and beautiful women he would often bite. He preferred daring debutantes before. They tasted young, luscious and fresh. It was the kind of blood that shouted out life and vigor! It was a mixture of candy-coated innocence and blazing physical desire. And nothing tasted more delightful! He couldn't resist!

Ginny took quick fearful breaths when Vladimir gruffly pulled her bleeding arm to his mouth. The fear increased even more when he let out an almost savage, animal growl when she tried pulling back. And before she knew it, an intense and stinging pain went up about her as she felt two hard and sharp substances pushing against her skin.

Vladimir let out a low grunt as he forced himself to sit up, his mouth not leaving his life-giving source. He sucked at her arm hungrily and held fast when he felt her resisting and pulling away. When the rusty tang of her sweet blood settled inside him, a strong rush of strength and warmth immediately spread inside his body, filling every famished portion of his soul, reviving him as he shed the last shards of his mortal essence behind. He pressed her arm to him even more, tightening his grip, squeezing out more blood till a loud cry rang amidst the heavy breathing and gasping inside the chamber. 

"Enough!" Ginny cried as she wriggled her arm away from his touch, her face already turning pale and chalky. She fought to stay conscious as dizziness swept past her. "Enough!"

But Vladimir didn't let go.

"That is enough!" 

Ginny pulled her arm forcefully away from him. Then to her absolute shock, Vladimir threw his head back and let out a loud gasp of satisfaction, blood all around his chin and his lips, trickling and dripping from him face only to dribble messily onto his white nightshirt. She backed away quickly upon seeing two fangs baring out from his open mouth. Then her eyes widened upon seeing the most extraordinary transformation before her eyes.

From its wrinkled and creased state, Vladimir's skin turned smooth and almost even. His color turned paler than usual but there was a strong hint of clear translucency on them, much different from what she was used to seeing. Before her very eyes, she saw him look stronger, the Vladimir she used to know resurfacing once again from the old, bedridden man she had seen a while ago. When his eyes met hers, she took a deep intake of fascinated breath upon seeing his face drastically changing! The blood slowly disappeared from his face and his shirt. He was becoming beautiful before her eyes, his good looks becoming more visible, the black color of his eyes turning translucent and intense, their black pupils narrowing almost into dots. He looked better and younger. It was like, twenty years was taken out of his usual age. It was clear to Ginny that he wasn't the same Vladimir she knew.

"You foolish, girl!" Vladimir bellowed after a moment, his voice low and growling. With the beautiful transformation came his immortal ruthlessness. "Look what you did!"

And with that, he immediately bolted out of bed with extraordinary speed and went after Ginny. Already too weak and dizzy to fight back or run away due to massive blood loss, she weakly slumped her body against his strong arms. Vladimir, finally losing control of himself, tightened his arms around his prey's small waist. When he saw the faint green color of her veins protruding enticingly from her delicate milky-white neck, he threw his head back as his vampire fangs immediately sprouted inside his mouth. He gruffly bent her head to the other side and exposed her neck before his bared teeth. He was about to bury the pair of long and sharp incisors against the tender skin of her neck when the door suddenly burst open.

__

"Expelliarmus!"

Vladimir was instantly blasted off from his feet as a jet of sparkling red light shot off from nowhere before he could even make two puncture holes against her neck. The man-turned-vampire hit the wall behind his bed with a jarring blow then he fell down on the floor with a sickening loud thud, unconscious. 

Unable to keep up the fight any longer, Ginny fell limply on the soft leather couch as a deep male voice rang inside the stillness of the chamber.

"Not too late, am I?"

Ginny smiled weakly while fighting to stay conscious. "Professor Snape," she whispered. 

==========

"Potter!" 

Draco yelled furiously as he stood before Harry's beautiful but modest two-story house. He banged his fist at the wooden door violently over and over again, unmindful of the cold winter breeze blowing against him, unaware of how 'menial' he was. Actually, he could always take his wand out and cast something to open the door, but due to his building fury, he really felt like hitting something or someone as of now. Using magic was out of the question. He banged the door again, this time more loudly. 

It was already near to midnight and he felt tired, both physically and emotionally. Godric's Hollow was miles and miles away from Malfoy Manor and it almost took him two hours of flying, not to mention, an added thirty minutes of searching before he actually found Potter's house.

He swore out loud when nobody opened the door. After several seconds of rapping the door madly, Draco stepped back and feared that perhaps Harry was in his Muggle house right this very minute. He remembered Ginny telling him about Harry having renting a Muggle flat somewhere in London. Then his chest constricted with pain as the memory of Ginny breezed inside his mind.

He shook his head.

"Potter! You come out this instant!" Draco repeated, this time shouting menacingly, unmindful of the curious whispers and glances of Harry's neighbors all popping out of their houses and windows.

He was about to bring his big fists against Harry's door once again when a light suddenly flicked on in one of the house's windows. He stepped back when suddenly the door burst open only to reveal him a sleepy-looking, bedraggled, yawning and unshaven Harry Potter staring at him with irritated curiosity. He was rubbing his eyes, which were free of the round glasses and scratching his head. 

"Out of the way!" Draco yelled, and before Harry could do or say anything, he pushed his way inside the house yelling for Ginny to come out.

Harry's face went blank, not sure if he was in a dream or not. _"What was that?"_

"Mr. Potter?"

Harry looked sideways only to see one of his neighbors peering at him unsurely from the other house. 

"Everything all right?" his neighbor inquired, his eyes settling on his house. His frown deepened when Draco made a loud banging sort of noise inside his sitting room.

When his brain started to focus, he immediately recognized the furious voice vibrating inside his house. No, he wasn't dreaming. This was real. Bloody real! He tightened his robe about him and forced out a gritting smile. "Yes, Mr. Wilkins, everything's quite all right, thanks." And with that, Harry immediately stepped inside his house and closed the door behind him with a bang.

"Ginny! Don't make me come up there!" Draco shouted, a toy truck sticking against his right foot. Then he swore out loud when the Muggle toy wouldn't budge off his boot. He hopped momentarily to take the blasted toy truck off, creating a puddle of mud and dirt all around him. 

"Hey!" Harry shouted angrily upon hearing the other man's frenzied yelling, eyes already focusing. He frowned with abhorrence upon seeing Draco's large build hopping around with a toy truck stuck on his foot, looking undeniably silly. But with the current situation, Harry had other things to think about other than to laugh at him. He swore out loud upon seeing Draco creating a mess inside his house, on his newly cleaned carpet. "Hey!" 

"Where is my wife, Potter?" Draco rasped finally tossing the toy on the floor. It landed with a loud clutter against his wooden flooring.

"Normally I would tell you to get the hell out of here but as I see it you've already stormed yourself inside my house, messed it up and made up your mind to ruin our sleep, which, indeed, worked," said Harry irritably. Then his face hardened. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" 

"Where is my wife, Potter?" Draco repeated, this time he raised his voice furiously, oblivious to the fact that Harry actually yelled at him to get out. 

"She's not here!" Harry answered back. He looked up only to find his son sitting at the top most part of the stairs, staring at them with wide, curious green eyes, dressed in his light blue pajamas with little teddy-bears printed on them. "Now look what you did! You woke my son up!" 

"I don't bloody care if I woke the whole neighborhood up!" Draco replied loudly. "Bring me my wife or I'll make sure that you will terribly wish you've never been born!"

"Are you threatening me?" Harry asked, his 'unusual' eyes narrowing into slits. He smirked. "Because if you are, then it's not working."

"Do," Draco stopped and took his wand out. He looked menacingly at him, "I look like I'm threatening you, Potter?" he asked dangerously. 

Harry stared at him first and noting the look of murderous rage in his eyes, he shook his head and turned away gruffly. Okay, he probably meant business, but nevertheless—

"I told you, she's not here!" Harry shouted furiously, ignoring the death glare the other man gave him. "Are you deaf or something or just plain stupid?" 

And with that, Draco swore out loud. He walked towards the stairs with furious steps without even asking, totally unconvinced. Harry's eyes widened with disbelief while Nathan scuttled out of the way as Draco's huge form came striding across the lighted hall leading to the master's bedroom. Reaching the door, he threw it open and stormed his way inside only to discover an enormous canopied bed with thick crumpled sheets and no red-hair and dainty woman inside. 

"Potter!" he roared, turning around and making his way back towards the sitting room. He sailed down the stairs, his heavy coat billowing around him. His eyes darted immediately to the main family room only to see Harry pacing back and forth gravely, not quite sure how to react to the sudden turn of events and his son, now fully awake, busy playing with the toy truck he nearly wrecked. Upon sensing his presence, he stopped and turned to him.

"What the fu--," Harry immediately broke off upon seeing his son sitting on the floor, playing. He took a deep but annoyed breath and rephrased everything. "Who the hell told you that you can go bursting in my room just like that?" 

"Where is she?" demanded Draco instead. He was half-tempted to pull out his wand and give Harry's smug face a hex or two but seeing the little boy, he refrained and contented himself by giving him the nastiest, the most cold-hearted and the cruelest glare he could project. 

As his reply, Harry turned to his son. He bent down and shook little Nathan's dark chestnut hair fondly. "Nathan, son, go up to your room," he softly ordered. 

The two-year old boy looked at Harry then at Draco then back at Harry again for a while. Seeing the grave expression on the faces of the two men before him, he gave his father a sweet and obedient smile. "Okay, daddy," he said in his tiny voice, and he immediately ran up the stairs bringing his toy truck with him.

For a moment there, Draco found his eyes softening as he followed the little form of the boy with genuine fascination. Then his thoughts unconsciously landed on Ginny again. Would it be possible for her to be with child already? The probability's quite high. After all— he frowned. If yes, then what would it be? A girl? A boy? He'd rather prefer a boy but— Damn, what the hell was he thinking?

"You're off you're trolley, did you know that?"

Draco blinked only to see Harry looking at him with undenied confusion and irritation. He looked at him narrowly. "Don't you lie to me, Potter," he said with soft menace. "I knew that you were with Virginia a while ago. I saw your letter."

Then to Draco's astonishment, Harry's unyielding expression turned to absolute confusion. "Yes, but she went back to you," he answered thoughtfully, the mere idea of Ginny missing driving away all his overwhelming desire to throw or 'zap' Draco out of his house. "She was in a hurry, actually."

"She's not in the manor," said Draco curtly, the thought of Ginny going out with Harry completely overlooked. Somehow, seeing Harry's baffled expression sent a heavy feeling of fear and anxiety deep in his stomach.

Harry's eyes widened. "What do you mean she's not in the manor?" he demanded. "She's gone?"

The taller man rolled his eyes. "No, actually she's back there lying on my bed and I just don't have anything better to do so I decided to come storming up in here— Of course, she's gone!" Draco exclaimed. "I wouldn't be here if she wasn't!"

"I don't know where she is," said Harry earnestly.

"You are the last person she talked to," Draco shot back. 

"I told you, she went back to you!" Harry exclaimed. At that, Draco walked away from him and began pacing the room back and forth, mumbling and grumbling. "I swear, on my parents' grave, that I don't know where she is!"

Nevertheless, Draco didn't stop pacing, his face thoughtful. Somehow, he believed Harry. Strange actually, but he believed him.

Harry let out an annoyed sigh. "If you don't stop that pacing this instant, I'm going to nail your feet on my floor and believe me when I say I wouldn't even care having a prat standing here in my sitting room as long as I make you stop," he said irritably. "You're making me dizzy!"

"That's because you don't have your glasses on, you dimwit!" Draco spat back, finally stopping. Then he looked at Harry thoughtfully and realized that this was actually the first time he saw Harry Potter without his glasses. He shook his head, dismissing such stupid, useless thought. "All right, scratch that. Are you sure you're not some psychopath, homicidal maniac who likes to keep pretty girls with red hair named Virginia in your basement?"

Harry's eyes widened incredelously. He wasn't sure if Draco was serious or just being a nonsensical prat.

Draco walked towards him slowly. "Because if you are, I swear I will kill you, Potter," he rasped, leveling his sharpening eyes with his. "And I won't even give a damn if I get Azkaban time for that."

Now, Harry was sure he was serious. Dead serious.

"You are insane, Malfoy," said Harry, not blinking. He pushed Draco away from him gruffly but not provokingly. "She went away from me. I told you." Then he looked away. "She was actually hurrying to you. And believe me when I say that nothing and no one in this world could stop her from going to you," he said remembering her last statement.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked frowning.

"It means that even if I asked her to run away with me, she wouldn't do it!" Harry exclaimed. There was a note of bitterness in his voice. _"She gave me the same look when your name was brought up, just like the one Cho gave me when I asked her to marry me."_

Draco said nothing.

Harry let out an exasperated breath. "Look, do you want me to drink Veritaserum? Because if you do, I will! I've got nothing to hide!" he exclaimed. "As much as I— like Ginny, I wouldn't even think of taking her against her will!" Then he turned away, displaying a look of hated acceptance. _"I wouldn't want to have her with me knowing that she's thinking of someone else."_

Draco looked at him momentarily, his silver eyes boring through him as if reading him thoroughly. "Fine," he finally said. He turned around and made his way towards the door. "I'll be on my way, then."

Silence settled inside as Harry stared at his retreating form with mixed emotions. He didn't know whether to feel happy or sorry or worried about everything. Part of him was actually embittered because Ginny chose Draco over him while another part of him felt happy because of the obvious worry Draco was feeling with Ginny gone. But a bigger part of him felt worried because Ginny went suddenly missing. Especially now that someone was out to get her.

He went after Draco who was currently about to open his front door. "Malfoy, I think—" 

"Malfy."

Both Harry and Draco stopped as Nathan's little voice vibrated inside the house. They looked up, confused.

"What was that?" Draco asked, frowning at the wide-eyed boy sitting up the stairs. 

"Ginny," said Nathan with little difficulty.

Draco turned to the puzzled Harry behind him. "Does your son have the gift?" he asked, remembering how the little boy managed to warn Ginny before the knives went zooming towards her last Christmas. 

"What gift?" Harry asked, completely clueless. Then he looked up. "Nathan, what are you saying, son?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Divination," he replied, exasperated. Then he threw his hands up into the air and looked at him disgustedly. "Honestly, Potter, you should know better! He's your son, for goodness sake! The symptoms are already there! Can't you tell it? How did you even manage to graduate?"

"Oh, look who's talking Mr. I-have-a-son-so-I'm-an-expert," spat Harry sarcastically.

"You don't have to have a son to see that, moron," said Draco impatiently. "Were you not even aware that the things children of our own kind say, no matter how peculiar and weird they may be, shouldn't be ignored? Things go different here compared to the Muggle community. The possibilities are endless!"

"Well, were you not even aware that I was raised in the Muggle world and have absolutely no idea about the things you've just said until now?" Harry shot back. Then he turned thoughtful. "I don't know. Maybe a little. After all, I sucked at Divination Class."

"Nothing surprising there, really," murmured Draco deliberately. "The only thing you were good at was flying anyway."

Harry smirked at him. "Whereas you were terrible at it?" he asked sarcastically.

Draco frowned at him as if he said something wrong. "What drugs are you on, Potter?" 

"You should know, Malfoy!"

"Malfy."

"What's your son saying?" Draco cried irritably. "He's not making any sense at all!" He was about to turn around and was about to open the door when a sudden thought hit him.

__

"Malfy?" he asked himself, getting thoughtful. _"Ginny? Could it be possible?"_ Then he clapped his hand once, remembering Sylvia's pet name for his grandfather. "That's it!" he cried out. 

"What?" demanded Harry. "What is? Where is she, Malfoy?"

This time, Draco's eyes narrowed. "What do you care, Potter?" he asked. "Why should I tell you? For all I know you're the one trying to kill her."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh sod off!" he cried. "What good would that do to me?"

"Who knows?" Draco shrugged and turned around. "I mean, after all, you're a scarred freak of nature—" He opened the door and was about to step outside when Harry suddenly called him. "What?" he asked impatiently. "I don't have time for this!"

"I'm going with you," replied Harry, completely forgetting about the insult. 

Draco stopped abruptly and turned to him blankly. "What?" 

"I said I'm going with you," Harry repeated while turning around and making his way up the stairs into his room, no doubt, to change and to get his glasses. "As far as I'm concerned, everybody's the suspect here and that counts you. There's no way that I will entrust Ginny's safety to you!"

"What if it was the other way around?" Draco called after him. "And what makes you think that I would let you go with me?" he asked as Harry went tripping back down the stairs, all dressed and shaven, of course with the quick help of his wand.

"Oh, I'm not actually expecting that you would let me," replied Harry as he went off to get his broom. 

"Okay, let's get everything straight, Potter," said Draco while Harry put on his cloak. He raised a finger before his face "I don't trust you."

"Well, I don't trust you either," spat Harry with a straight face. 

Draco rolled his eyes and backed off a little. "Great, we don't trust each other. We'd make a very good team," he quipped sarcastically, his arms flailing in the air. "Did I tell you that my father didn't trust Voldemort? And look where it got them." 

"Get real, Malfoy. I wouldn't even call this 'teaming up'," said Harry as they eyed each other stubbornly. Then he sighed tiredly. "I'm not doing this for you or for myself, I'm doing this for Ginny. God knows how many times I've shut her out and it was a mistake on my part." He stopped and turned away from Draco's narrowing gaze, remembering the talk he had with Ginny a while ago. Then he looked back at him. "It was a hard learned mistake and I have no intention of doing that again, so whether you like it or not, I will go with you, help Ginny, end of story!" 

Draco stared at him momentarily, thinking and deciding. Finally, he heaved a soft sigh of reluctant approval.

"A bit keen there, aren't you?" Draco asked tiredly. 

Judging from the look of determination on Harry's face, it left him no other choice but to concede. It was a look that said 'I don't give a fuck about what you say.' It was a look he was accustomed to seeing when they were still playing Quidditch for their respective houses. Harry used to have that kind of look everytime he would see the Snitch. And talking him out of it, or even shouting and hitting his stubborn face, was really very impossible. But then, it was actually good. He didn't care about Harry. Harry didn't care about him. But both of them cared about Ginny. At least they had something 'useful' in common.

"What about your son?" Draco asked after a brief moment of thinking. When Harry gave him a look that said 'uh-oh, I forgot', Draco turned his eyes heavenwards with exasperation. "You oaf! You can't go around frolicking out anymore like you used to. You can't leave him alone in here!"

"I know! Shut up! I'm thinking!" Harry exclaimed, looking thoughtfully at Nathan.

Draco snorted. "Now, that's something new," he said. Then his eyes widened in mock amazement. "You're actually thinking."

"And you are not." quipped Harry with annoyance. "Thinking doesn't work well with you. It's like matching green with orange. A terrible clash, really."

"You're wrong, I've already thought about something," he said. Then he looked at the boy, his expression unreadable. "Let us take him with us to Vlad Manor. My grandfather would be more than happy to take care of him."

"Vlad Manor?" Harry asked, puzzled. "What's Vlad Manor?"

"It's my grandfather's manor," said Draco. He took a small, silver lighter out of his pocket. "I'm pretty sure Ginny is in there."

"Don't you think that Nathan will slow us down?" Harry asked. Then he frowned when Draco flipped the lighter top open. "And there will be absolutely no smoking inside of my house and in front of my son, Malfoy!"

At this, Draco found himself frowning. "What are you? Stupid?" he said, annoyed. "This is a portable Portkey I'm holding not a cigarette lighter! Well although it is a lighter, I don't use it for a smoke! And I wouldn't be that daft enough to let you fly out with your son! It's dangerous and will definitely slow us down." He looked away and tested his not-so-working-well lighter while murmuring and grumbling. "Ruddy Muggle things!"

"So, you're grandfather has a Portkey point in his manor?" asked Harry quite taken aback. He bid his son to go up and change before Draco grouched a faint yes. After several seconds of looking and waiting, Harry opened his mouth again. "And what makes you think that Ginny's really in your grandfather's place? She could go straight at the Burrow or to her Muggle flat."

"It's worth a try and I have faith in your son's abilities, Potter. They've been proven," said Draco, facing him. "And besides, Ginny suspected me. Put yourself in Ginny's shoes. Going straight to the Burrow or to London would be really stupid. That would be the first place I would go to and as far as Ginny's concerned, she doesn't want me to find her." He smirked as Nathan came bounding down the stairs, all dressed with his little cloak in his hands. "But then, I'm sure you haven't thought about that, have you?"

"Don't push it, Malfoy!" Harry said warningly while busy putting on the cloak over his son's shoulders. Then he turned to Draco suspiciously. "And what's this about Ginny suspecting you?" 

"It's a long story," replied Draco curtly. When he saw the unconvinced look Harry gave him, he sighed. "Come on, Potter, don't make me tell it! It'll take us all night!"

"I don't care if it takes us all night."

"I DON'T WANT TO KILL HER, ALL RIGHT?" Draco shouted. "Just be rest assured that I don't want her dead!"

"Give me one good reason," Harry prodded, crossing his arms stubbornly across his chest. "Because I can make you go to hell with just a simple flick of my wand, Malfoy and you bloody well know that I can do that."

At that, Draco looked away and gave the couch a stony look. "It's personal, all right?" he finally admitted. "And besides if I turned out to be the one, then I give you full permission to perform _Avada Kedavra on me_, no strings attached." 

Harry stared at him for a long time before nodding in acceptance. "Fine," he finally said. Then he cleared his throat, changing the subject. "What good would going to Vlad Manor do to her?"

"Oh you'll find soon enough," said Draco mysteriously as he positioned himself before the two, holding out the lighter in front of him. "Ready to go?"

"Do you know something that I don't know?" asked Harry as Draco murmured out a faint _'Accio'_ to summon his own broom.

"Maybe," replied Draco. "After all, he's my grandfather and all. I just know how crazy that old man can get. Is your son used to using Portkeys, Potter?"

"Oh, nothing new there actually. I could really see the close relation," said Harry smirking. When Draco decided to ignore him, he turned to his son whom was reaching out for the lighter. "Yes, he's used to it. I always take him to my matches which often requires the use of Portkeys

"You could've just said yes," said Draco while rolling his eyes irritably. 

And with that, all three of them held onto the lighter tightly, brooms in hand and disappeared in a snap.

==========

"I should've known," said Snape as he flicked his wand and cast a stronger binding hex to hold the struggling Vladimir on his bed. He looked at Ginny's paling face sharply and continued, "that something as stupid as this would be one of Potter's friends' doing."

"Take this off me, you bastard!" Vladimir shouted. 

Snape ignored him. At this rate, he was much stronger than Vladimir, anyway.

Ginny let out a weak smile as she watched Snape laying out his things, which were compiled neatly inside the small leather kit he had brought along. "Well, I couldn't leave him just like that, could I?" she asked, her eyes widening with fascination when she saw the set of glass vials and containers having multicolored liquids in them. 

He laid them carefully on the bed and took out another vial from his pocket. Then turning to Vladimir, he opened the vampire's lips and forced the sleeping draft into his mouth, unmindful of the series of curses Vlad spat at his face. Moments later, his eyes drooped. Finally, he closed them and drifted off to sleep. 

"You should know better than to try something as stupid as that," said Snape unpleasantly as he took a medium-sized syringe out of his kit. "Haven't you even got the slightest idea what could happen to you if he had succeeded?" 

"I know, we did vampires in DADA during my sixth year," replied Ginny while pressing the cloth on her wounded arm. Despite the roaring fire inside Vladimir's private quarters, Ginny felt all cold, damp and slightly weakened. "I've included that particular subject in one of my majors too."

"And as I see it, you didn't learn anything," he concluded unkindly while filling the syringe with the dark purple liquid. He held it up into the light and carefully measured the solution. 

"It's a good thing you got here on time. I see you've received my owl sooner than I have expected," said Ginny instead as she watched Snape carefully injecting the needle against Vladimir's skin, aiming for a vein closest to the heart. "What is that?"

"To tell you honestly, I didn't receive your owl, Ms. Wea— erm— Mrs. Malfoy," he said curtly, the purple liquid slowly pushing through the older man's systems. "For your information, Vladimir had already scheduled an appointment to see me for his medications while yours," he stopped and turned to her disagreeably, "was a product of pure, dumb luck." 

Ginny fell silent at this, feeling like a stupid, pathetic school girl being scolded. She cast her eyes down and waited for Snape to go on with his usual criticizing, unmerciful, proficiency bashing. Well, she had to admit that he was right, though. After all, she didn't actually use her brains at that time. 

When Snape saw her sober reaction out of the corner of his eyes, he let out an almost inaudible rueful sigh. "This is, by the way, my anti-vampire serum," he started instead. "I started making this a year after the discovery of the Wolfsbane Potion. A most recent discovery, of course."

"Anti-vampire serum?" Ginny echoed, her eyes wide with wonder in spite of her feebled condition. "So I take it that it actually eradicates the blood-sucking soul out of a vampire, changing him to be mortal? What is it made of?"

Snape found himself smirking quite fondly at his former student's curiosity. Indeed, Virginia Weasley-Malfoy hadn't changed a bit. Curiosity. That was one of the factors that encompassed her being, making her one of his best potions students in all of Hogwarts.

"Same ingredients as of the Wolfsbane Potion," said Snape flatly while carefully disposing the used syringe. "The only difference is this serum contains a large amount of garlic essence, bits of silver and a drop of blessed water. I've also included the same mixtures of anti-demential sera included in the Wolfsbane." He paused and stared at her for a long time. "Better make sure," he murmured while handing her a thermometer. "And of course, a large amount of Murtlap juice. That gives the purplish color. Most effective when injected," he continued.

Ginny nodded and placed the thermometer in her mouth absent-mindedly, as if it was the next normal thing to do. Somehow, she noticed there was a hint of pride in Snape's usual unemotional voice. "But large amounts of Murtlap juice is quite dangerous, isn't?" she asked thoughtfully. "Won't that be threatening?"

"To ordinary wizards, yes," replied Snape while looking at his watch. "But to the likes of them, no. Werewolves and vampires have strong resistance to a large quantity of Murtlap juice due to their inhuman nature. And a plentiful amount of the particular juice is highly needed to sustain the effect of the anti-demential sera. You know perfectly well that Murtlaps, when pickled and eaten, produce a strong resistance against curses and hexes, are you not?"

"And so it eradicates vampirism in a vampire?"

"No, it merely controls it," replied Snape. "Just like the Wolfsbane Potion, the anti-vampire serum reduces the vampire's desire for human blood. It does not, however, remove his vampire features. During transformation, he will just sit there quietly, pale, fangs and all, drinking wine or water in leau of human blood."

"Brilliant," whispered Ginny through the thermometer sticking out of her mouth. Then she heaved a sigh. "I've turned to him to a full-fledged vampire, have I not?"

Snape turned his unsmiling face to hers. "Frankly speaking, it only took four spoonfuls of your blood to complete his transformation," he explained. "Vladimir was born a half-vampire. He had been taking human blood since the day he could talk. Then he stopped for reasons unknown therefore preventing the complete transition. I firmly believe that's the way half-vampires turn into full-fledged vampires. They don't need to be bitten, they have to drink warm, human blood."

Ginny nodded and stayed silent for seconds. She looked up and noticed Snape, usually dressed in his heavy robes of black, standing up and flicking his wand against Vladimir's bound hands, freeing him from the hex. "He'll be awake in a few minutes, totally harmless," he quipped flatly. Ginny she frowned. 

"Why do you use Muggle thermometer?" she asked curiously as Snape took it from her mouth. "What's more, why am I even using a thermometer?"

Snape momentarily stared at her coldly. Finally, he decided to speak, disregarding her second question. "Muggle thermometers are more accurate than the ones we use here," he replied as he brought the thermometer against the light to inspect it. "Ours depend on magic while theirs depend entirely on science. Whether we like it or not, we, wizards, and Muggles have the same body temperatures. It would be more advisable to use Muggle thermometer in cases like this." Just then he exclaimed softly. "Ha! Just as I expected!" 

And before Ginny could utter another question, he took her wounded arm, tapped his wand against it while murmuring a medical magic incantation. Then almost immediately, the two puncture wounds slowly closed before her eyes, leaving dried blood stains all around them. After that, Snape turned away from her and busily flipped open his other kit only to reveal another set of vials before them. Then after careful thought and selection, he pulled a small glass container with a purplish-red liquid inside it. He handed it to her.

"Here, drink this."

"What is this?" Ginny asked curiously while taking the cork covering off. 

"It's a serum that will make your heart beat fairly faster for a couple of minutes, therefore compensating the lost blood in your body," he explained. "I've also included a tiny drop of anti-vampire serum there minus the Murtlap essence, of course. After having bitten by Vladimir, I'm not really sure what that can do to you." 

"Oh," she said before bringing the vial to her lips, pinching her nose and drinking it in one gulp. Her face immediately scrunched with disgust upon tasting the bitter-sour liquid against her tongue. "Yech! This tastes more horrible than Polyjuice Potion!" Ginny exclaimed rather immaturely after swallowing the red concoction. Then she frowned. "Why didn't you teach us to make this before?"

Snape just smirked without humor and took the empty vial she handed him. "You don't want to put me out of business, do you?" 

"Do you usually recommend this serum to vampire-bitten victims?" she asked after a moment.

"No, that serum is just for special cases such as yours," said Snape while he busily packed his things. "Not all of them are, erm---," he broke off and turned to Ginny, raising his eyebrows rather unsurely. "I believe that my work here is done," he finally uttered instead. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some other things to do." And with that, he turned around and gruffly made his way towards the chamber doors. He was about to open it, when Ginny suddenly called his name. He turned around, his eyebrows raised in question.

"What now?" he asked irritably.

"Thank you," said Ginny, granting him the sweetest smile he had ever seen. "Thank you for coming here. Thank you for all your help."

Severus Snape let out a little sigh. After all, she was his best student. It was really hard to say no to Virginia Weasley even though she was a Gryffindor. "Just don't do anything stupid again," he growled. Then without another word, he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

Ginny shook her head, a soft smile playing on the corner of her lips. He was still the same Severus Snape she knew, but then, she didn't miss the tiny flicker of a smile that grazed his grim lips when she expressed her gratitude. It actually made her wonder why Snape decided to be all contributive and helpful considering that he hated the fact that she was his best student and worst, a Gryffindor. 

__

"The man has a heart after all!" she thought, smiling softly. One of these days, she thought, I would find a way to repay his not-so-kind kindness. With that, she stood up and was about to make her way towards the window, when a weak voice suddenly rang inside the stillness of the chamber.

"I hope you learned your lesson, Virginia."

She turned around only to see Vladimir's eyes already wide open, the ruthlessness in them already gone. It was actually weird seeing a full-bodied vampire looking so gentle and harmless. Gingerly, she sat back on the bed as Vladimir struggled groggily up, his beautiful face being illuminated by the moon and the crackling fire, creating a thin, shining silver light across his flawless cheeks.

"I have a confession to make," said Virginia softly, facing him.

Vladimir raised his eyebrows coldly as his only reply, waiting.

When Virginia was sure no words would be uttered, she took a deep calming breath. "We've been fooling you all along," she started. And with that, she told Vladimir everything. About the Quidditch match that started it all, the deal she made with Draco, about the orphanage and everything about the awful money-making masquerade they're playing. Vladimir's expression hadn't changed a bit during the flow of the story: cold and calculating.

"It was wrong and I am fully aware of it," said Ginny after telling everything to Draco's grandfather. "And for that, I deeply apologize." She blinked her eyes furiously to keep herself from crying. 

Vladimir chose to remain silent.

She sniffed softly. "I couldn't blame you if you get angry at me, if you hate me even," she said. "But I just want to let you know, that after all this, I don't want any part of your money. Just— just give it all to Draco, he deserves every single cent of it. He's your only heir after all. Also be rest assured that after this, I will never bother you or your family again."

Silence.

Ginny looked up. "God, I feel so terrible," she exclaimed softly. "After all the kindness you and Narcissa have shown me-- to tell you honestly, you've become the grandfather I never had! And it greatly pains me, believe it or not, playing this cruel game! And I—"

"You should feel terrible," said Vladimir, cutting her off suddenly. 

Ginny stopped and looked at him timidly.

"And I should be angry."

Ginny nodded. She cast her eyes down shamefully and bit her lip.

"However—" He broke off as a sudden loud, raucous laughter came out his lips. 

Ginny turned to him, aghast with the sudden unexpected reaction. Just what the hell did Snape give him? Was this actually a temporary side-effect of the anti-vampire serum? To turn the vampire giggly insane? Now this was getting weirder by the second! A vampire laughing with genuine glee?

"Do you actually believe that I bought that I'm-in-love-with-Draco crap?" he exclaimed. "Come on! Surely you didn't think that I was that stupid, did you?"

Ginny's mouth dropped open unfashionably as a weird feeling of déjà vu swept up inside her. She stared at Vladimir's laughing face, completely speechless.

"I've known all along! Why, I had the will changed, haven't I? Just to piss him off!" he cried out, looking all smug and egotistical before her, pleased to see the astonished look her face projected. Then he gave another loud, uproarious laugh. "You should've seen his face! I tell yeh! It was just so priceless! And the way he--," he stopped suddenly upon seeing the annoyed, mirthless and piqued expression she gave him. He cleared his throat rather uncomfortably and turned serious. "I was once rotten as that boy is now, Virginia."

"Then— then why didn't you say anything?" Ginny demanded when she finally found her voice. "You didn't even do anything! You went along just for the amusement of it?" She charged crossly. "Were you not even aware that—"

"Oh but Virginia, dear, don't get me wrong," Vladimir supplied quickly. "I still wouldn't have given my fortune to Draco if he hadn't married a woman such as your character." Then he guffawed again. "But then, yes, everything was really just for my amusement! An amusement in behalf of my blasted and conniving grandson! Thought he could outsmart me, eh? Ha! I proved him wrong!"

At that, Ginny couldn't do anything but shake her head tiredly. _"Oh, what's the use?"_ she thought, seeing the clear look of sickening satisfaction and smugness on the vampire's face. Then she closed her eyes, her fingers flying up to her temples as the beginnings of a sudden headache throbbed inside her head. "Oh, oh, I feel— I feel--,"

"What? Stupid? Duped?" Vladimir pressed helpfully. He looked at her with mock eagerness. "Fooled? Gullible? Like an imbecile? Rotten?"

Ginny frowned. "Okay, stop that. That's an abuse to the word insult, and I won't have that!" Hearing this, Vlad immediately stopped. She looked at him miserably. "You could've easily reported this to the Ministry or—or—took legal action against me or something. Why didn't you?"

"Oh and did I say that I'm also hoping that a woman like you would change that blasted boy?" he asked. She turned to him crabbily. "What? I'm serious!" Vlad exclaimed. When Ginny glared at him, he cleared his throat awkwardly and decided to be 'more' serious

"I have high hopes for Draco, actually," he said slowly. "That is why I chose him to be my successor and not his father. At the very young age of eight, he had already demonstrated an extraordinary skill and knowledge when it came to Wizard trade, quite not normal for boys his age, you see. He knew what people wanted, what people needed, what people would buy. He had an inquiring mind when it came to Wizard and Muggle goods." He shook his head. "It was just a pity that my blasted son inclined him to the Dark Craft. Why, I heard that he even successfully closed the deal regarding the Zabini's estate at a very, very low price! That boy has a brilliant mind for business!"

As her reply, Ginny cast her eyes down when the name Zabini was brought up. Vladimir noticed this and chuckled.

"Oh come now, lass! I'm not angry with you! And most certainly, I don't hate you! You're too special to hate even though you have that slight conniving nature. Actually, I was really glad that you became his wife. And I would've given a part of my money anyway. How the hell did you even manage to handle that boy's wretchedness anyway? Until now, I couldn't help but wonder," he babbled on, obviously not aware of their present situation. "And besides, you saved my life. I actually owe you one!"

Ginny still didn't look up. Oh, why did Vladimir have to say those words now? "I came here for a reason, actually," she forced out after a moment. "I need a really, really big favor."

"Anything, Virginia, anything," said Vlad without a second thought.

Ginny slowly looked up. "I need you to perform the Fidelius Charm on me," she said quietly. "And take my name off the will." She didn't want his money after all. What good would all that money do to her if Draco would be constantly trying to kill her? For all she cared, Draco could take it all, wallow in it and be damned with it! That was the sole reason that started this mess in the first place!

Vladimir's smile suddenly withered. "Why?" he asked, his vampire eyes suddenly narrowing. "Did something bad happen between you and my grandson?"

Ginny's lower lips trembled as another set of tears threatened to fall at the mention of Draco. "It has nothing to do with him," she lied pathetically. At Vladimir's silence, she knew it was a very ineffective lie. "Please?" 

Vladimir took a deep breath and stared at her for a long time. "I know it's none of my business should you tell me or not, but do you really want me to?" he asked after a moment of long silence. "Is that what you really want? Because if I do that, there's no turning back, Virginia."

She looked away miserably, the thought of Draco, the mere thought of not seeing him ever again, bringing a fresh surge of pain inside her heart. There was no one to blame but herself anyway. From the start, she was well aware that this was just a charade, an agreement, nothing personal, just pure business. But then she broke the first and only rule of the make-believe game. She let herself fall in love, deeply, helplessly. This was the price she had to pay for breaking a stupid but simple rule such as that. She took a deep breath and hardened her heart. 

"Yes," she finally answered as two fat tears rolled from her eyes to her cheek.

The vampire momentarily sat there and silently pondered. Then he frowned. "You actually trust me?" he asked, daring her. Then he looked at her meaningfully. "I am, after all, his family."

"You owe me," came Ginny's only stoic reply.

After several minutes of staring and thinking, Vladimir finally let out a resigned sigh. "Consider it done," he said as he stood up and reached for his wand inside his desk. Then walking back towards the bed, he pointed his wand tip before her.

"All right, Virginia," he whispered as he flicked his wand before her, creating bunch of light yellow sparks in the air. "Just close your eyes and relax and when you open them, everything will be fine. Just fine…"

==========

"Molly, dear, hurry up or we'll be late!" Arthur Weasley called that same night. He dragged his suitcase down the stairs and let out a soft curse upon seeing the time. "The Ministry Convention will start at eight tomorrow morning and by this time, dozens and dozens of wizards will take the best rooms Irish hotels can offer! I don't want to spend a night in an inn!"

"In a moment, dear!" Molly called back from their room. "Quit babbling a load of tosh, Arthur. You're the former Minister, of course they will reserve the best rooms for you!"

"Oh pish-posh and all that nonsense!" Arthur snorted while pacing the living room back and forth. "Just hurry it up! I want to leave already!"

Moments later, heavy footsteps echoed inside the sitting room as Molly's large build came bounding down the stairs, her suitcase in hand. Arthur immediately took her suitcase and made for the door, with Molly following close behind. 

"It was a good thing I built a Portkey station in my backyard," said Arthur to no one in particular as he followed his wife towards the door. "You do have to admit that the Muggle mail box I've set up there was quite a real treat, eh?"

Molly ignored Arthur's lively chatter about Muggle posts and mail boxes and was about to open it when a faint knock suddenly went behind it. They eyed each other frowning. 

"Who could that be and at this time of night?" asked Arthur as Molly proceeded to open it. Then what greeted her made her eyes widen with surprise. Standing before them was a half frozen, red and puffy-eyed Ginny, with a broomstick floating beside her, a bag on her right hand and her cat's cage on the other. 

Ginny, upon seeing her parent's astonished look, felt her lips trembling. Then without another word, she cried, dropping her things on the floor, unmindful of the terrified screeches her cat uttered as it hit the ground terribly hard.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" Molly asked softly, immediately gathering her crying daughter in her large but comforting embrace. She stroked her hair soothingly and pulled her inside the house. She looked at her husband meaningfully. Arthur immediately understood and gathered her things, the Ministry Convention temporarily forgotten. He placed it inside the house and closed the door gently. "Honey, what's wrong?" 

"Mum, I--" She broke off as another set of wracking sobs escaped her lips. "I just don't— have anywhere to go and—" 

"Shh, everything's fine, baby," soothed Molly. She pulled Ginny onto the couch and let her cry freely in her arms. "Everything's all right."

Ginny cried and cried, all the bottled up pain and emotions pouring out from her at once. She cried like a baby in her mother's arms. She cried as if there was no end to her tears, like there was no tomorrow. She never cried this hard before! And nothing hurt Molly than seeing her only baby girl cry like this, trembling and shaking against her arms. 

Molly and Arthur, in turn, eyed each other, not exactly sure of what to say or ask. Whatever it was, they were sure that it had something to do with Draco and their marriage.

Ginny let herself cry for another ten minutes before looking up to her mother and father's understanding faces looming over her. "You were about to go somewhere?" she asked in between a series of hiccuping.

"Oh, this is nothing, honey. It's—" Arthur immediately began, waving a dismissive hand.

"Don't let me keep you," said Ginny quickly, wriggling out of her mother's embrace. Then she forced out a smile. "I think this trip is important to Dad."

Arthur let out a sigh. "Actually, honey, it is. It's the Wizard Convention and—" He stopped and looked at Molly meaningfully. When his wife gave him a nod of understanding, he let out a snort and waved another dismissing hand in the air. "You know what? We could always attend next time, right Molly dear?"

Molly was about to call out a loud 'yes, you're right honey' when Ginny shook her head vigorously. "No, dad," she cried. "Go. I— I mean, you don't have anything to worry about I just—"

"But honey—"

"Please," implored Ginny softly. "I just need a place to stay, temporarily and—" she stopped and turned to her parents. "Please don't make me feel horrible again by not going."

At that, Molly sighed. "I must admit that this is quite important to your father," she said. Then she turned skeptical. "Are you sure you'll be all right without us?"

"Yes, mum, I'll be fine," she replied. After all, no matter what Draco did, he wouldn't be able to find her. She trusted Vladimir. He wouldn't squeal her whereabouts to him It was his wizard's debt to her. "Just go and have a wonderful time."

"I'm still not sure—"

"Then if you're not that sure then have one of my brothers stay with me," suggested Ginny, while wiping her eyes dry. "Where's Ron and Hermione, by the way?" 

"They're having a holiday at Hermione's place," replied Arthur. Then he turned to Molly. "Maybe we could write them and ask them to come home?"

Molly still looked reluctant. "I don't know, Arthur." She looked at Ginny. "I'm not really—"

"How many times do I have to convince you, Mum?" Ginny asked. "I really don't mind. It's okay," she said again. Actually, at a time like this, she really wanted to be alone. 

At that, Molly took a deep breath. "All right, honey. If you insist," she said as Arthur started taking her things up to her room.

"May I use my old room?" Ginny asked softly while opening the cage and letting her cat out. Her pet, in turn, scampered away happily towards the kitchen.

"Of course, dear! What kind of question is that?" Molly exclaimed. "You may stay here as long as you like."

And with that, Ginny smiled and slowly made her way towards the stairs. Once inside her bedroom, she slumped on her bed, face down without even bothering to turn her light on. She stayed like that for about an hour or so, thoughts of Draco playing endlessly inside her head. It was already thirty minutes past midnight when exhaustion and the extreme urge to eat dawned on her. Then as if an answer to her prayers, Molly entered her bedroom with a plate of cookies and a glass of warm milk for her enjoyment. Ginny immediately sat up as her mother tapped her little lampshade on.

"I wrote a letter to Ron, honey," she said while placing the food on her little night table. "He just answered back and said they'll come home tomorrow."

Ginny forced out a smile. _"Oh, why Ron?"_ she thought with dismay. The last thing that she needed right now was to see Ron's I-told-you-so look, and to put up with him when he suddenly decided to press her about what happened and hear him ranting on about how miserable her husband was and actually having to listen to him bark, cry and bellow just how he would chop her husband's body parts off. Preferably starting from his head first, then his arms and then his feet— ooh, she could just go on! She took one cookie from the plate and munched at it hastily, wondering just why the freaking hell was she eating like there's no tomorrow at a time like this!

"Are you sure you'll be quite all right here?" Molly asked after a moment, quite surprised at her daughter's sudden decision to stuff her face with food. Then she sighed. _"Oh well, maybe because of depression."_

"Yes, mother," she said after swallowing the food. Not long after, Ginny finished her first cookie. She bit her lip and reached for another one before taking a sip of her milk.

As her reply, Molly stared at her, wanting desperately to know what really happened. But seeing her daughter's red, puffy eyes, she decided not to. In time, she thought, she would definitely open up. "Well, I guess we'll be going," she said as Ginny, now finished her second cookie. "I'm not really sure of leaving you all alone in here but—"

"Mum, please. We've been through this already," Ginny said between mouthfuls of chocolate chip cookie. "And besides, Ron and Hermione will be here tomorrow so don't worry about a thing," she pressed.

At that, Molly finally let out a smile. "All right, dear." She kissed her on the forehead. "We'll see you three days from now."

"All right, Mum! Have fun!" Ginny said with forced cheerfulness.

And with that, Molly stood up and made her way outside of her room. Once alone, Ginny stopped her eating, her eyes accidentally landing on her left hand where she wore her wedding ring on her ring finger. At that, another set of tears fell again from her eyes as she slowly took it off and settled it inside her drawer.

After a moment of sitting there, crying, self-pitying, and thinking, she finally laid on her bed and cried herself to sleep. 

============

"Ginny."

It was already half-past one in the morning.

She was all alone in the empty house.

She frowned in her sleep when she heard a soft sing-song voice in her head, calling her name. Not sure whether she was dreaming or not, she turned sideways, hoping the voice to go away.

"Gi ~ nny!" 

Reluctantly, she forced her eyes open only to see a shadow, standing in front of her waving a wand, staring directly at her. Slowly, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She looked up, her eyes already focusing in the dark. She immediately recognized the shadow.

She frowned.

"Therese?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

The woman smiled, her feline, blue eyes glowing out brightly amidst the darkness of her tiny room, her almost white-blonde head glistening against the faint glow of the moonlight.

Her blood-red lips widened into a cold and eerie smile. 

"Meow!"

****

  


End of Part 13

  


Author's Notes:

In case everybody's wondering who the hell **Therese **was… she was actually Ginny's secretary back in the Muggle World. And the reason why she suddenly popped again in the story? Well, that's for you to find out! ::cackles evilly::

You may have also noticed that Draco and Ginny are using an old broomstick model, a **Firebolt **and a **Nimbus 2001 **::shrugs:: well, Fred noticed it. Anyway, please do take note that I have mentioned in **Part 11** that Draco temporarily stopped wasting money on broom collecting since it was clearly mentioned that his family's currently facing a financial crisis. But then again, I firmly believe that broom collecting is really a part of being a Malfoy. ::grins:: Who knows, Draco might start collecting again. 

Okay! Everybody knows where **Wolfsbane Potion's** from, right? In case, you forgot, this actual potion was very difficult to make. They are actually for Werewolves. They drink this so to avoid the terrible insanity that goes with the transformation. This, however, does not cure werewolves, it merely tames them. Severus Snape makes this potion for Remus Lupin.

I don't know what to call my **anti-vampire serum** that's why I just called it as it was. I'm pretty sure I haven't read or heard this serum in any particular HP series. Also, the ingredients I've mentioned above were products of my near-to-exploding brain cells. Silver, I've heard from some of the vampire movies I've seen, could kill vampires as well as essence of garlic and blessed water. I kind of derived everything from that. I believe that this is my original potion, if not, please e-mail me about it so that we can make the proper disclaimers. I may have missed it somewhere.

The **Murtlap** is actually from **Newt Scamander's Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them**. They are rat-like creatures found in coastal areas of Britain. I used them because they are the only ones who can resist jinxes and curses, highly essential for my fic.

I really don't have the slightest idea on how far **Godric's Hollow** really was from Malfoy Manor. I just assumed that it would be very far away considering the fact that Draco surely won't like living near Harry. I promise to do more research about their geography.

****

Terrence Higgs is actually JK Rowling's character. He was a former Slytherin, early 1990's. He was replaced by Draco as the Slytherin seeker. I've just figured out that not all Slytherins really did support Voldemort and I made **Terrence Higgs** one of those. It was also possible that he may have already forgiven Draco about the Quidditch position. ^_^ 

I'm not really that sure how to cast the **Fidelius Charm**. I haven't read how it was done in the HP series so I just conducted a cock and bull casting trick here. ^_~

And lastly, **Vladimir's vampire transformation **is a product of my silly imagination. It's just that I've come to the sudden conclusion that what I've put there is very possible. Vladimir was already a half-vampire therefore, he didn't need to be bitten by a full vampire to become one himself. I think that another ounce of blood was needed to complete his transformation, after a long year, but he suddenly stopped, blah, blah, blah, yada, yada… you all know what happened!

That's about it! Hope everybody enjoyed! Disclaimers apply to the following, awright? I don't own them, not making money from them so please don't' sue. Thanks you for reading and please review! ::grins:: 


	14. First Half: The Serpent's Bride

****

Author's Notes: Okay, here's part 14!!! Woohoo!!! ::jumps up and down:: Finally have it all done! **Anyway, just a reminder. Chapter 14 will be cut in half, awright? That means I would be posting the first half first then the second half a week after, ok?** You may ask: Why the freaking hell $%^&%!!!??? Well, to tell you honestly, part 14 is 63 pages long and believe me it's very tiring to read it in one sitting. Besides, I need to make some more revisions in the second part ^_^

To those of you who are wondering whatever happened to the **Red Lingerie**, then I highly recommend everybody to read VioletJersey's** Beauty on the Fire**, an AU fic for Serpent's Bride. It's an NC-17 fic that could be found in **Fanfiction.net**. I tell you, this fic is great! Hot, steamy sex all the way but not at all smutty. It actually blew my head off! ::cackles:: I guarantee you that you will never look at Ginny the same way again. ^_^ **Thanks, VioletJersey for writing an AU fic for SB and for actually solving the mystery of the red lingerie!**

My thanks, as usual, go to my ever helpful beta-readers. **Fred**, **Alli-chan** and **VioletJersey**, thank you, guys! ::hugs:: I just can't believe you were able to stand reading a 63-page chapter!!! Thank you!

And also, my deepest gratitude goes out to all the people who read and reviewed the previous installment, both from Fanfiction.net and Fictionalley.org! You people really kept me going! Thank you, thank you, thank you! ::bows, bows::

To all those people who sent me their reviews through personal e-mails, I'm really sorry I wasn't able to reply but then again, my thanks also go to you. It's really nice to receive wonderful e-mails. ^_^

Oh and I hope nobody would mind but I would like to be Gilderoy Lockhart for a moment, awright? I'm pleased to announce that **I've won Second Place in Alexis Bastarda's Draco Malfoy Fanfiction Competition!** Yay! ::throws confetti around:: I've entered Serpent's Bride and it actually got Second Place!!! Okay, that's it. I'm just so happy that I have to say it. ^_^ ::grins sheepishly::

And another thing,** I'm really sorry also to all the people who sent me private owls **. I haven't been able to send you a reply! Actually, it took me a long time before I figured out what an owl is all about and how to read them! **To tell you honestly, I really need help here!** I'm having difficulty manipulating my message board and I don't really know how to send people chapter updates! I mean, most of you guys are giving me your e-mail addresses and I don't have a freaking idea on how to send you an automatic chapter update! I'm really, really sorry. So please if anybody who knows something about FictionAlley Message Boards, do e-mail me. Thanks!

Anyway, here's the first part of Chapter 14! I hope everybody will like it!

****

Serpent's Bride XIV – The Serpent's Bride

"This," Harry gritted his teeth in disgust while lifting his now sordid boot from the soft, squashy and yucky-looking, knee-high mound of earth beneath his feet. He turned to Draco with an undenied look of abhorrence plastered on his paling face, "is your Grandfather's Portkey point?"

Draco turned to him crossly. "Oh, stop your whining, Potter!" he exclaimed as he busily extracted his own legs from the manure-looking filth surrounding them. He swallowed hard upon seeing chunks of wet and stinking earth clinging onto his expensive leather shoes. _"What the hell is this place anyway?"_ his insides hissed. When he felt his knees and thighs were moist, a sign that the muck actually got past his posh, Armani suit and coat and settled itself against his skin, his insides suddenly screamed, _"That's it! I'll kill him! I'll kill him!"_

"Hey Malfoy!" Harry called out, lifting his sorry-looking son out of the dirt. He carried dirty little Nathan against his arms, splatting more filth and mud against his shirt. He looked at the weird expressions of disgust, anger and disbelief playing on Draco's face simultaneously with undenied curiosity and wonder. "What's with you?"

"This," Draco exclaimed instead, stiffly pointing at his right pant leg, "is a £1,800 suit!" Then he lifted his foot and showed Harry his ruined shoe. "And this is a £524 shoe! All ruined!"

At that, Harry turned away from him in disgust.

"What?" Draco demanded.

"Since when did Draco Malfoy fancy Muggle clothes?" he asked, smirking nastily.

"And since when did it become Harry Potter's business?" Draco shot back. Then his face scrunched with disgust upon seeing his other shoe. From the looks of it, it was now permanently damaged and ruined. He mumbled something through gritted teeth while busily scanning his surroundings. "Blast it! Freaking pile of dungy—" 

"And you were saying something about 'quitting your whining?'" Harry asked with rancor. He looked around, his eyes already adjusting to the dark, and noticed another level of 'dry' soil behind them situated at the other end of the pit. 

Draco stopped and turned to him.

"That wasn't called whining, Potter" he muttered darkly as Harry turned around, his uncomplaining son snug in his arms. Draco turned around as well. "It was called remonstrating. That was a reasonable and justified remonstrating I made."

"Which simply means, in lay man's terms," Harry paused for a while as they both took one slow and difficult step towards the other side, their feet and legs fighting against the thick, huge lump of mud and filth enclosing their limbs, "complaining, which again, is very synonymous with whining." He rolled his eyes. "Really now Malfoy, I can't believe you still have the grace to whine considering that this dump is YOUR grandfather's Portkey Point." 

"Excuse me, but I wasn't whining at all, I was remonstrating," said Draco mulishly. Then he smirked at Harry against the dim light of the moon. "And even if I was complaining, surely you can't blame me, can you? I have all the right to complain."

"And why is that?" Harry asked as they finally reached the other side of the deep, hollow ground.

Draco turned to him and gave him an I-can't-believe-I-still-have-to-tell-you-isn't-it-quite-obvious look. "Just look at me, Potter!" he exclaimed, his face having a look of undoubted certainty on it. "I am worth over a thousand Pounds on this particular night! Unlike you--"

"Did anyone ever tell you that you are so sickeningly hopeless, Malfoy?" Harry asked, his tongue dripping with sarcasm. 

The other man raised his eyebrows in mock question. "Just like you, Potter?" asked Draco delicately as they finally reached the other side. He stopped and smiled maliciously at Harry while shaking his head. "No, hardly at all."

Harry snorted, raising up his son first, placing him on dry ground a little above them. "Yeah, right whatever," he murmured. He braced his hands before him and was about to pull himself up when a sudden faint neigh echoed amidst the soft hoots of the owls and other night creatures surrounding them. He stopped. "What was that?" he asked, in hushed, frantic tones.

Another faint neigh, then a soft, low sort of animal groan.

They looked at each other, their eyes wide.

"Did you make that sound?" Harry asked, frowning deeply at him. He knew it was stupid to ask but-- He swallowed hard, already thinking the unthinkable.

"Oh don't be an idiot, Potter," Draco answered back. He looked up only to see the starless night sky. Then he looked past Harry and saw a faint illuminated darkness and pieces of wood set in a curious shape called a coop, or a shelter, or a barn, or something, standing twenty meters away from them. It was hard to make it out due to the darkness. He turned back to Harry, deeply annoyed. "At this moment, do I sound anything like a horse to you?" 

This time, Harry focused eyes that said 'uh-oh' back to him.

Draco looked back, the annoyed expression completely replaced by a look of total confusion. Then after a moment of pondering, realizations finally hit him. 

He whirled around and discerned two large animals, standing on all fours, walking away from them, their bristly tails wagging in earnest and obvious satisfaction. The minute Draco saw them, he gritted his teeth and let out a loud curse.

"Oh, shit!" he shouted as he furiously took his wand out of his pocket, his horror-stricken eyes going from his filth-smudged coat, then to his pants then to his shoes and then back to his coat again. "Oh shit! Goddamn it!"

"Will you stop swearing in the presence of my son?" Harry demanded crossly.

"Blasted piece of fucking filthy—"

"Hey!" Harry shouted as he hastily covered Nathan's ears. Apparently, it didn't work for the boy was staring at him with inevitable curiosity, already grasping for some understanding. "For crying out loud, will you stop using profanity here?" 

"That wasn't profanity at all, Potter," Draco rasped, "That was a normal reaction in a stinking situation like this. Any 'normal' person would surely do or say that on impulse." He shook his head. "And as I see it, you're beyond that," he added since he noticed that Harry hadn't been one bit disgusted about their present predicament. Then he continued swearing again as if nothing was amiss.

Harry looked at him in disbelief and fury. "Malfoy! I'm warning you—"

Draco turned to him and frowned angrily, obviously pissed with Harry's unsuccessful attempts to be a 'good father' and clearly infuriated at the thought of being completely surrounded by horse dung. "I am going to swear or use the vilest words imaginable if I want to and nobody in this damn filth hole, not even the likes of you, will ever make me stop!" he declared fiercely, his voice ringing with strong conviction, his patience running out. He looked down and covered his nose with his hand, the faint, pungent smell of wet earth and horse dung getting stronger by the minute. When bits of snow began falling from the sky once again, he cursed out loud. "Bloody hell!"

Harry eyed him narrowly. 

Draco stared at him at first and realizing that Harry meant serious business, he let out a faint irritated snort and finally decided to stop and just concentrate on how to get out of this stinking situation 'cleanly' in the best possible way he could. He held his wand before him and whispered a faint _Lumos_. When a flicker of light emerged from its tip, he hastily swung it from the left then to his right, surveying their surroundings.

"Seems like we're in a bit of a quarry," murmured Harry as he too took his wand and let light flow from its tip. "A stinking, putrid quarry, that is."

His brows crinkled slightly upon finding themselves in a large ground opening located in the middle of a vast clearing. His eyes then roamed around only to see a number of huge trees and curious, quaint exotic plants, flora, and shrubs all standing and growing around them. There was a large patch of grassland a little on their right with three or four horses grazing on them and a near-to-collapsing stable on their left. He focused his eyes on the large edifice of the manor looming gloomily in front of them. From the looks of it, they were standing inside an enormous moat-like hole which was curiously placed at the back of the manor. He turned a little to his right only to finally notice the manor's exact Portkey Point standing there quietly: a chunk of wood pitifully sticking out of the earth, and a worn-looking bridle hanging from it.

"You call this a bit of a quarry?" spat Draco, looking around as well. "A grubby, stinking tremendous pit hole for the horses' personal self-gratification is more like it!" He looked past Harry only to realize that the curious pile of wood and timber he had seen earlier was actually a stable. Seeing that, he let out another curse. "Dammit all! I can't believe he would let his horses wander about, scattering their filth everywhere! What's more, I can't believe he would actually build his own Portkey Point in a place like this! What is he? Insane?"

"No, I doubt that," said Harry as he put out his wand light and braced his hands before the dry level of earth in front of him. He handed his wand first to his son before pulling himself up from the dump. "The horses didn't scatter their filth everywhere, Malfoy. WE were the ones who trespassed in their er— not-so-private," he paused and thought of an appropriate word, "uh— bathroom." He stood up, bits of wet dung falling off from his pants. Then he smirked at Draco sarcastically while taking his wand from Nathan. "As for your grandfather's building his Portkey Point in a place like this, well, really now, Malfoy! You of all people should know better. After all, same bloodline, same level of thinking, right?"

__

"Nox," whispered Draco first, taking out the light off of his wand tip as well. Then much to his surprise, Nathan held out his little hands in front of him, looking expectantly at his wand. He frowned but nevertheless saw no other choice but to hand the wand to the little boy and began pulling himself up as well. 

"That is enough of your smart mouth, Potter," Draco growled as he stood up beside him. Nathan immediately handed him his wand back. Draco, for a moment, stopped awkwardly. "Er— thanks." Then he focused his eyes back on Harry, narrowing them to slits. "Not when I'm feeling wet, dirty and ticked off," he continued. Then he looked around. "Where's my broom?"

"Over there," said Harry, pointing towards the direction of the stable to his left. Then he swished his wand against his son first before swishing it against himself. 

__

"Clarus."

Draco shook his head upon hearing the spell Harry used and muttered, _"Perclarus Fergrare." _Instantly, the dirt and dung disappeared from his clothes and shoes. He took a deep, satisfied breath, the thought of being clean and 'smelling clean' once again pleasing him. Then he turned to Harry smirking smugly as if telling him 'I know something you don't know.' 

And it terribly ticked Harry off.

Harry frowned. "What?" he demanded noting the egotistical look the gray-eyed man gave him.

"Go on and smell yourself," was all Draco said while pocketing his wand. He smirked mentally. _"Stupid Potter not knowing the appropriate spell to use. Clarus! That was so third grade! And here they are calling him The-boy-who-lived!" _he thought disgustedly as he turned around and walked towards the stables to retrieve a broom which was lying carelessly on the ground two meters away from them. 

Reaching for it, he heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing the words 'Nimbus 2001' embossed on its shiny broom handle. For a moment, he had been afraid that it was Harry's broom and not his. The thought of his broom buried deep in that damn pit hole and actually going back to fish it out of there made his stomach lurch and his anger flare even more. He was about to turn around once again, when he saw another broom resting five steps away from him. He frowned momentarily and without even bothering to check if the broom' was Harry's, he finally decided to take it with him as well. He slung his own broom over his shoulder and sulkily dragged the other one.

Harry frowned and sniffed lightly. Then his face scrunched with disgust. He turned clean, all right but the spell didn't particularly eradicate the awful stench of the horse dung. Then he looked at Draco's nearing form darkly, who had two brooms in each of hand. _Okay, fine, I forgot_, he thought. So Draco knew the correct spell to use. He was bloody and freaking brilliant and all now, but he didn't have to act so smug about it, right? Mumbling and grumbling out his displeasure, he turned to his son and muttered the same spell Draco used. Then positioning his wand against himself, he did the same, too busy to even notice that Draco was carelessly towing his broom against the hard, rocky ground.

"Oy, Potter!" Draco suddenly called out churlishly and tossed the other broom into the air, into his direction. "Catch!" 

Harry looked out, his free hand reflexively shooting up into the air to seize his broom. Then he looked at his now-tidy son who was staring up at him with wide, green eyes. In the presence of little Nathan, Harry let out a sigh as he was compelled to say the appropriate word in the situation. "Thanks," he mumbled unwillingly as Draco finally reached them. Then his voice turned cold once again. "Where to now?" 

"We'll walk," replied Draco as if Harry was stupid. He walked past him, dragging his broom carelessly behind him. 

To speak frankly, it would have been much easier to flick his wand and apparate, but then Draco found himself considering Nathan. They couldn't possibly apparate, taking the little boy with them. It would be risky to do so. Well, he could always apparate himself and leave Potter and his son alone to walk but remembering the curious things his grandfather had planted in his manor grounds, Draco found himself reluctantly walking with them and guiding them. As of now, he was currently responsible should anything bad happen to Ginny. And he surely didn't want to add Four-eyed Moron and his son to his amounting worries should they find themselves being digested alive inside the stomach of a Manticore or an Acromantula, if his grandfather did have one, that is. Such a thought would terribly compel him to leave the country as a fugitive with all the Weasleys after his head. 

"Watch out for the Snapping Plants, they bite," he found himself saying after a moment, both their eyes already adjusting in the dark.

"Oh don't worry, Malfoy," said Harry sarcastically, as he lifted his son into his arms. He took a step, following the other man before him. "I was actually expecting something dreadful here. After all, he's your grandfather and everything."

Draco snorted as he carefully treaded the patch of grassland, checking for small, foot-eating Murtlaps, Imps and Gnomes. "You'd be surprised, Potter, of what I keep in my own grounds," he said while kicking an ugly-looking gnome out of his way. The Gnome, in turn, shouted out something vile and rude before running away from them. "Things you'd least expect."

Harry found himself gulping instead upon seeing a couple of gnomes now popping out from the ground, no doubt alerted by the sudden disturbance. After all, he didn't particularly like gnomes. Not after the almost harrowing experience he had with them during his second year. And there was absolutely no way in this whole universe he would let Malfoy know about it! He took a deep breath and started kicking hard at the hideous creature standing before his shoe just like Draco did, not showing any signs of weaknesses or mercy.

"What made you quit being a jerk, anyway?" 

Harry looked up. "What?" he asked as he kicked another gnome out of the way. He smiled inwardly, finally getting the hang of the gnome-kicking thing. He stomped his feet and pretended sorely not to hear, better yet, not to understand.

"Oh you heard me, Potter!" Draco barked as he evaded a Murtlap running before him. "Don't make me elaborate it because I guarantee you, you'll be terribly insulted."

Harry finally stopped and frowned thoughtfully. Somehow he couldn't really say anything cutting or nasty to Draco since it was the truth. He had been a terrible jerk lately, to Ginny especially. "Well, it's rather personal, actually," he finally replied. Draco stopped and turned to him, his face having the usual mask of unknown emotions on it. "But then, I know— when Ginny meant business and the talk we had earlier— well, she really meant business."

"Which is?" Draco prodded and continued walking again. He tried his best to sound nonchalant and uninterested about it but in truth, he was! He was very, very interested. He raised his eyebrows slowly at Harry, casually waiting, and gave him a look that said 'it makes no difference to me should you tell me something or not.'

"She made up her mind to go back to you, though I couldn't really understand why," replied Harry truthfully. Then he shook his head. "And at that moment, I knew, I saw it in her eyes, there was nothing I could do about it. Ginny can be really stubborn if she wants to. She's her own boss." 

When Draco just shrugged in answer, they continued the walk in heavy silence. They turned left, walked a bit more and were about to reach the enormous doors of the manor, when Harry spoke again. "The last Quidditch match," he started softly, remembering his last conversation with Ginny. 

They reached the enormous front porch. Draco turned to him, his eyebrows up in a notch.

He looked back at Draco, his face unreadable. "Why did you lose?" he asked.

Draco focused his sense of vision before the door at the question. "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked gruffly. He rapped the door thrice and waited, not in the mood for some freaking heart-to-heart, memory lane talk with the other man. 

"Our last Quidditch match," insisted Harry, ignoring Draco's obvious attempts to drop the subject. "Come on, Malfoy! I know you know what I mean!" he exclaimed, shifting his son on his other arm. "Why did you lose?"

Draco stared at him for a moment. Seeing Harry's awaiting expression, he let out an impatient sigh as he decided to answer just to shut Harry up. "I got distracted," he finally replied, his voice hushed, enigmatic. 

"Why did you save her?"

Draco frowned, obviously annoyed with the 'unnecessary and stupid' questions. "I don't like seeing someone die in front of me, all right?" he growled without thinking. "Might give me nightmares." Then he looked away, his face turning soft, the frown that grazed his eyebrows, disappearing.

Harry frowned at the cold, careless reply. It was quite obvious that there was a deeper answer to it. Draco's sudden change of expression confirmed that. _"But then what?"_ he thought curiously. _"Did we just underestimate the cold-hearted Draco Malfoy? Did we just expect him not to do anything right?" _

Draco looked at Harry out of the corner of his eyes and noting the blank look on his face, felt reassured that Harry didn't get what he had actually meant. 

He decided to ignore Harry and turned his attention back to the door, reluctantly remembering the way Ginny looked back then. Somehow, with her sitting atop her broom, speeding downwards, her hair flying freely around her, framing her pretty face, her scarlet Quidditch robes rippling about her small, lithe body like swirls of crimson wings— somehow the sight of her had caught his attention. 

He clearly remembered stopping, mid-way in the air, not caring if Harry was way ahead of him. He temporarily forgot about the Snitch. There was just something about the way she looked back then, the fact that she still managed to look so dainty and femininely sweet despite the determined look on her face, that momentarily made him stop and stare, mesmerized. Well, he couldn't deny that he had started noticing the blossoming Weasley girl when she had reached her fifth year, and that he had occasionally fantasized about her especially when she had reached her sixth year. But at that particular moment, she never looked so beautiful, so gorgeously domineering and attractive. And then, when he saw the Bludger coming towards her, something inside him just snapped. 

Forgetting about the Quidditch match, he had sailed quickly towards her just in time after the Bludger had hit her, and he had caught her… the supple body he had been staring at suddenly and dangerously close against him… his strong hands automatically wrapping around her waist… then kissing her. It wasn't because of the wizard's debt he had gone to save her, actually. He had thought about that just AFTER helping her back to her feet. It made him wonder. It had never occurred to him that on that particular day that he could actually be, well, human.

"You saw her too, didn't you?" Draco asked after a moment, forcing his mind back from his memories. "I know you did." 

"Yes," said Harry quietly. Surprisingly, he didn't have the heart to deny it. 

At that, Draco let out a humorless chuckle, looking straight ahead. "I just can't believe the boy-who-lived did nothing."

Harry, found himself lost for words for a moment. Oblivious to Draco, he looked guiltily away from him. "I-- was torn between what my fellow Gryffindors would say if I lost that particular match to you Slytherins, and what would eventually happen to Ginny," he replied heavily. "That was the biggest mistake on my part. I see that now."

__

"Can't believe that the man who defeated nature's biggest mistake had, indeed, admitted to having committed one himself, Draco thought unfeelingly. He was fully aware that to the whole wizarding world, Harry Potter could do no wrong. He silently accepted that fact, though. Considering the person he had been before, Harry Potter was indeed someone better than him, which resulted to a couple of unexplained insecurities within himself. _"So The-boy-who-lived is human after all." _But then-- 

Draco shook his head in disgust. Although he did clearly understand how difficult Harry's predicament was back then, since people expected Harry to do what was best for EVERYBODY, he was actually in no mood to hear Harry feel sorry about it now. Actually, he was a bit irked about the whole thing. Of all the people he had least expected not to do the right thing for his bestfriend's sister-- And now, here he was, feeling sorry about everything? It was too late for that now, wasn't it? 

"Then it was a good thing I was there," was all he said as the door creaked open. 

Harry looked down momentarily, understanding befalling upon him full force. That was probably what Ginny saw in Draco. She had thought about and understood everything. It was without a doubt that Draco suffered greatly after losing that last Quidditch match. Everybody at Hogwarts knew how his fellow Slytherins hated him, despised him after it but then— He shook his head. He knew Draco had thought about the consequences, within those fast and crucial three seconds, should he go after Ginny and forget about capturing the Snitch. He knew because he had thought about it too. The only difference was Draco thought about her, and he thought about winning. Well, not that he didn't care about her at all. Actually, he did! But he was just so sure that one of his teammates would eventually catch her. It was just not his lucky day that it was Draco who had caught her and—

"Young master Draco!"

Harry looked up, his thoughts shattered. His eyes widened in surprise upon seeing the shocked expression of the ghost butler in front of them. The ghost, in turn, focused his almost translucent eyes on the surprised Harry standing beside his young master.

"And— Mr. Potter," said Fields. Then much to Harry's astonishment, the ghost's usual unemotional face began to crack as it frowned in obvious confusion. Fields looked back at Draco then quickly back at Harry again in wonderment. "Mr. Potter?"

Draco ignored the shocked look his butler gave them. "Where's my grandfather, Fields?" he demanded as he importantly pushed his way inside the manor without waiting for an invitation. The ghost immediately floated out of the way seeing the determined look on his grim face. "I need to speak to him immediately." 

He threw his broom carelessly aside together with his heavy coat and marched directly inside the manor's dark and gloomy interior, his every step echoing forebodingly inside the still, eerie silence of the huge house.

Harry saw no other choice but to step inside as well. He let little Nathan down on the floor and propped his broom carefully against the wall. Taking his son by the hand, he hastily followed Draco's charging form, unmindful of the uninviting atmosphere about them. 

__

Now that is really something, he thought as he saw the flow of emotions crossing the ghost's face. This was actually the first time he saw a ghost butler acting so— so— well, almost chaotic and frantic. Fields was actually not in total control of the situation, which was very, very seldom for ghost butlers. 

Recovering from the shock, Fields hastily floated towards the emphatic young Malfoy. At the sight of a persistent Draco before him, he could do nothing but roll his eyes heavenwards and give in. First it was the unkempt young Mistress. Now, it was the unrestrained, near-to-crazy young Master who decided to have an odd night stroll at an ungodly hour with his lifetime nemesis, Harry Potter who, for the love of god, decided that it was a splendid idea to take a grinning young boy and dangle him from his arms while promenading around the manor's dark grounds! What was next? A pack of Goblins going door to door, giving out all the money in Gringgots shouting and singing 'This job stinks! We quit!'? Or a horde of Centaurs actually in desperate need of human interaction and contact, eager to have a fortune-telling discussion for three sickles each session? 

Oh good lord, here we go again," said Field's, obviously not knowing what to do anymore. _"Oh, what's the use?"_ he secretly lamented, having no other alternative but to give in. "Master Malfoy is inside his chambers," he called out bleakly after Draco who was now climbing up the stairs with silent enmity. For the first time in his after life, he never felt so damn jumbled up and disorganized! And nothing was more shameful, more disgraceful—

"Fields," Harry called out suddenly amidst the frantic and urgent atmosphere surrounding them. The poor, confused butler stopped and turned to him, its self-pitying thoughts broken. "Did Ginny, by any chance, drop by? Was she here?"

At that, Draco stopped in his tracks and turned around upon hearing Harry's rational voice behind him. He looked at Fields expectantly.

"Well, apparently, sir, the— young Mistress indeed dropped by to see how Master Malfoy was doing and—"

"Ginny!" Draco roared as he turned around and continued on his way, this time taking two steps at a time. "Virginia!"

Harry rolled his eyes disgustedly. He couldn't help but think that when the name 'Virginia' and the word 'vanity' and 'Armani suits' were brought up, Draco would always have this weird tendency to lose what's left of his thinning and almost non-existent common sense. 

"But— you— you just missed her since she just left, five minutes ago, young Master!" Fields called out desperately. They were now currently making their way inside the second floor hallway when Draco stopped again. 

"What do you mean I just missed her?" he yelled. When Fields found no real and concrete answer to this, Draco let out an almost inaudible grumble of displeasure and continued on his way, with the apologetic-looking Harry following him. 

"Young Master!" Fields hastily floated beside him. "Please, I really don't think that Master Malfoy would approve your—" 

Blag!

__

"There goes the door," thought Harry pitifully.

"Barging in unannounced," continued Fields lamely. Then he looked up and wailed. "Heaven's above! What did I do to deserve this?"

Draco had already kicked the doors open, not even bothering to knock first. He ignored Fields, and with gritted teeth, kicked the other wooden entryway open. For the first time, Harry couldn't do or say anything helpful or cutting. This was a side of Draco he hadn't seen before or actually possessed. Draco Malfoy was actually acting RIGHTFULLY bossy and effectively in control, minus the vanity and the yelling, that is. Instead, he pulled little Nathan with him and quickly followed Draco inside the chamber like an obedient boy following his father in awe. 

"Grandfather!" he bellowed, now fully enraged, the thought of slugging him because of the disgusting Portkey Point already forgotten. He marched inside the dark, damp chamber with Harry and his son following wordlessly behind him, leaving the hazy and moaning form of Fields, mumbling nonsense at the door. "Grandfather!"

"I could've earned 50 Galleons on this particular night if not for Virginia's dislike of gambling, did you know that? I told her, for 50 Galleons, that you'd soon be rushing in here."

Hearing the unstrained voice before him, Draco took a deep breath, repressing breath, "Where is my wife, grandfather?" he asked, forcing himself to be cool, calm and rational. "She was here, Fields told me."

Vladimir smiled as his reply and whispered _"Incendia."_ Instantly, strong fire leapt out from his wand only to land against his fireplace, illuminating the dark room with a bright light yellow-orange glow. He stepped into the light with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. 

"What does it look like, boy?" he asked deliberately, his translucent eyes looking directly at him, light amber shadow tiers dancing upon them. When the light of the fire illuminated his clear, almost glistening pallid eyes, they turned sharp, almost like a cat's. He was staring at him intensely, like a hungry predator ready to pounce on his prey. 

Seeing Vladimir's new form before him, Draco's eyes unwillingly widened with shock and surprise. He swallowed hard and thought about taking his wand out. But then, what good would that do? He was dealing with something beyond human here. Standing before him was a full-bodied vampire, complete with the fangs and the pale skin. He frowned fearfully. Did Ginny-- Cold sweat broke inside him at the thought of Ginny being— Draco's face suddenly changed from surprise to anger. 

Seeing the man before them, Harry, in turn, tightened his grip on his son's hands and protectively pulled him closer . 

Surprisingly, Draco didn't feel one bit scared facing a full-fledged vampire. Thinking about Ginny, he didn't have the heart to chicken out of this. He took a step forward, his eyes narrowing menacingly. "Be careful of what you say," he said threateningly as he took his wand out of his pocket. He made his way towards his grandfather, looking dangerous, his eyes saying _murder_, "because if I suddenly find myself not liking even a single bit of it, I might forget that you're my Grandfather, do you understand?"

The vampire let out an amused snort. "Are you forgetting that I'm already immortal, boy?" asked Vladimir. It was clear to all that he was immensely enjoying this. "Threatening or killing me won't help, you know."

"Believe me when I say I'm not stupid," spat Draco back. Then he turned to the tongue-tied Harry whom was staring at them, completely unsure of what to do or say. "Will you excuse us for a minute, Potter?" he asked.

Harry, feeling like an intruder caught in a web of family feuds and intrigue, reluctantly nodded in agreement. "Of-- of course, Malfoy," he said. After all, he had no business there. Well, as of now, he quickly added to himself, but later on— "I'll be right outside." Then without another word, he hastily made his way out the door, pulling his little son with him. 

Once alone, Draco focused his attentions back to his grandfather again. He took a deep breath. "For the last time," he began, his eyes narrowing dangerously, "where is my wife, Grandfather?"

A slow smirk grazed Vladimir's clear, flawless face. "Wife you say?" he said tauntingly. Then he gave him a snake-like smile. "Whatever made you sure that you still have a wife, boy?"

"Where," he pointed his wand at his grandfather's neck, his breath already flaring angrily "is my wife, Grandfather?" 

"Sod off, lad! You doesn't deserve a woman of such great character!" exclaimed Vladimir, pushing Draco gruffly away from him with his immortal strength that the other man momentarily found himself staggering backwards. Then he smirked cruelly. "She is better off alone and without the likes of you, boy! So I suggest that you do her a favor, go home, spend a glorious time with your whores, drink to your heart's content and forget about her!"

Silence.

Draco's chest heaved as he took in precious air.

Vladimir walked away from him and made his way towards his night table. Deftly opening his drawer, he fished out his pipe and his lighter. He placed it in between his lips while his other hand busied itself with the lighter. He lit his pipe and took his first delicious drag.

"You could always claim a dead or a lost wife, you know, I doubt you'll ever see her again, anyway," he murmured against the smooth wooden pipe in his mouth, a cloud of smoke against his face. "I'll leave all the money to you anyway, even though my death clock stopped ticking. I have no use for it." He smirked. "Wallow yourself in the fortune. It's quite large to last you a lifetime." Then he sat down on his leather couch, took his favorite book and began reading leisurely.

Silence.

Seeing that, Draco's breathing became ragged as the beginnings of rage swelled inside him.

Still feeling Draco's presence in the room, Vladimir looked up from his reading and frowned. "What are you waiting for, boy?" he barked. "Away with you now! I don't have anything else to say to you!"

But Draco didn't move, his eyes narrowing dangerously. He looked at his grandfather's relaxed form in silent fury. 

"Are you deaf or just stupid?" Vladimir exclaimed irritably. "Go home, _boy_!" he ordered harshly, this time giving more emphasis on the word 'boy.'

But still, Draco didn't move. He continued staring at his grandfather. 

Vladimir frowned, this time, angrily. "I said, GO HOME, BOY!" he shouted again.

__

"Not this time," Draco thought fiercely. _"All my life, I always did what he ordered me to do. That's what he expected because he had a lot of money."_ He felt his eyes blaze with fury._ "But not this time! He doesn't fucking own us! Screw the money!" _

Just then, Draco felt something inside him snap. Without thinking, he took big quick strides towards his grandfather, took him by his collar, lifted him up into the air and slammed him against the wall. Too angry to even puzzle about the unusual burst of strength, he quickly held his hand around Vladimir's neck, molding it against his palm and lifted him three inches above the floor. He knew he was mad to even do something like this to his 'rich benefactor' but he didn't care! He pinned him against the stone partition gruffly, deaf to the agonized cry that came out of the vampire's lips. The surprised vampire could do nothing but to drop his pipe uselessly on the floor and bare his fangs at Draco threateningly, his hands, finally dropping the book, completely useless.

"I see, you've inherited my inhuman strength," quipped Vladimir through choked breath. "If not vampirism, I suppose—"

"Tell me where she is now!" Draco yelled at his face. "I know you know something! If anything should happen to Ginny, if she dies, I will never forgive you, Grandfather! I swear, on—"

"Swearing, boy?" Vladimir asked aloud. Surprisingly, his voice came out in a hiss-like tone, eerie and dreadful to the ear. It was a voice of a thousand demons, a thousand unimaginable, evil things. "And what, might I ask, would you swear upon, eh?" Then he smiled cruelly. "Your father's grave?" he asked tauntingly. 

Draco fell silent at this. Instead, he tightened his grip against the other man's pale throat, squeezing more air out of him. It was a very unusual sight to behold. A mortal man besting the undead!

At that Vladimir let out a soft snort. "Not that special, I suppose? Can't even find his grave," he continued provokingly. He sneered at him through his iron grip. "Face it, boy, you're miserable! You're pathetic! You don't even have someone to protect, someone to hold dear. Why? Because you don't know how to. You have pushed everybody, especially the only woman who could stand the likes of you, away till you had nobody but your miserable self. And again, do you know why? Because you have a bastard for a father who suffered the most dishonorable death. He has a death and you have a father that's better forgotten. It's just you and you, all along, can't you see? Your life has been a humorless joke just like what your father's life had been! No direction at all! And nothing, in this whole damn world, can ever change that!"

Draco's chest twisted as he felt the soft blow of the older man's words. It was actually the truth but then again— he had been different with Ginny, right? She changed him completely. He was different! He was far better than his father! He took quick, calming breaths in order to hide the undeniable pain the words unexpectedly brought him._ "I'm not like my father,"_ he said to himself firmly, swallowing hard. _"I'm not like him! I'm nothing like him!"_

"If you don't stop you're senseless prattling right this very minute," growled Draco instead, getting more furious by the second, desperately trying to be brave and indifferent, "I'll personally see to it that it will be your grave that I, my son and my son's children will swear upon!"

Upon Draco's reply, Vladimir found himself staring at his grandson's infuriated face quite oddly at first. Then after several seconds of just looking and staring, a loud, amused laugh escaped his smooth lips. Apparently, it was a wrong move since it increased Draco's ire, causing him to tighten his grip on his neck even more, which resulted to another series of hacking and coughing for the vampire, ceasing his laughter. 

"Children?" he asked instead, his voice already getting hoarse. "And what makes you think that you will have children? You don't even like commitment! You don't even like getting married!"

Draco shook his head impatiently, ignoring the fact that Vladimir already knew the awful money-making scheme. He knew the old man was stalling, hoping that he would just get tired of interrogating him, walk away and leave. But with Draco's present situation with Ginny, there was just no way in this world he would do that and give the older man the satisfaction of seeing him shamefully give up. Vladimir Malfoy would have no other choice but to tell him where Ginny was even if he had to strangle him and wring the information out of his mangled throat! 

"My wife suddenly went missing," he started, his voice a dangerous whisper, "and someone is out to finish her off. Now, Fields informed me that she was here a while ago and unless you tell me where she is right now, then she will die." 

Vladimir's face turned serious. "Why should I tell you?" he asked viciously. "Who knows? You might be the one who wants her dead. After all, you have all the reasons to kill her."

Draco's stone cold eyes suddenly turned soft. "Just tell me, grandfather." Surprisingly, there was a hint of pleading in his voice.

"She came here, so afraid and crying," said Vladimir. "I felt her pain, the one that you've caused." 

"Please tell me before it's too late," implored Draco. "I beg of you, grandfather just--," he paused. He took a deep exasperated breath and looked up, "Damn, I never beg but—" 

"Give me one good reason."

At that, Draco's face finally changed from anger to confusion. He found his strength leaving him as memories of Ginny played inside his head, over and over again. "You were right," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "My life's a terrible joke, going in no direction at all." He reluctantly let go of Vladimir's neck and made his way towards the bed only to slump himself tiredly on it, his hands covering his face and heaving out a very tired sigh. "Until Ginny came." 

Vladimir, in turn, dropped heavily on the floor. He choked and gagged when a sudden gush of air swept inside his throat. He doubled over, feeling terribly sick, feeling as if he wanted to throw up. He clutched his sore neck and eyed Draco darkly after the series coughs subsided. 

"Give me," Vladimir paused and took air with much difficulty, "one good reason," he hoarsely said again.

"I'll give you three," replied Draco automatically. He took a deep breath, his eyes starting to glaze as he found himself being swept up in the swirl of colored memories he had with her. "The first time I saw her, she was sitting atop her broom, the wind against her, and she never looked so beautiful." He stopped as a light smile played on his lips. "The second time was when I watched her sleeping. She was sitting on the couch, eyes closed. She was like an angel and again, she never looked so beautiful." Then he turned to his grandfather, his gray eyes still blank. "The third time was when I saw her cry. And nothing pained me more, seeing her eyes shining with tears, her body heaving as little sobs wracked her—" He shook his head in wonderment. He was talking like there was nobody there. "It was just now that I realized that I fell in love with the same woman three times," he whispered to himself, not caring if Vladimir heard it or not. Then his face turned misty. "And I've never done something like that all my life! Something tells me to get to her… to see her…That's— that's what the only thing I feel right now…" 

Hearing that, Vladimir watched his grandson's face closely and found nothing but truth in it. When Draco mumbled something incoherent with his eyes shining in wonderment and unhidden fulfillment, his voice having that far-away tone to it, Vladimir knew at that moment, that he had already crossed the line, reached the other side and finally made the first step to a completely different level of maturity. And that was the proof he was waiting for. He didn't want to accept it but he found himself reluctantly commending his once wretched grandson. 

He couldn't deny that Draco had indeed changed for the better when he lost his father, quite what he didn't expect actually. He took care of his mother and the family's finances and got married, though against his will. But then, he did a complete 360 degree turn when Virginia came into his life. He had finally developed a sense of responsibility, not because he had no choice but because he wanted to. He saw himself in him and not his blasted son, Lucius, which again surprised him.

__

"The boy's got balls after all," he said to himself. Holding that last thought, he shook his head and sighed with resignation. He finally stood up to get his complicated book of spells from inside his drawers.

"Then let's get a move on," Vladimir growled as he made his way towards the bed and sat before him. He opened the book and busily scanned it, his wand on his other hand. "We don't want to waste too much time listening to your sappy stories, do we?" Then he swore softly at no one in particular. "I can't believe I forgot how that blasted Charm worked!" He flipped through the book impatiently. "Ruddy half-witted spells!"

Snapping out, Draco blinked his eyes. Was he hearing right? "You're going to help me?" he asked, baffled at his grandfather's sudden change of heart.

"What does it look like?" Vladimir barked, not even bothering to look up. "Pillock!" he grumbled loudly.

Draco for a moment, gave him a dark, foreboding look. But it was quite unsatisfying since the old man was too busy flipping through his book to even pay him much attention. After a moment of sitting and staring, he spoke again. "Wait. So the one who turned you into a vampire was Ginny? You didn't kill her?" he asked, looking at the new Vladimir sitting across from him. 

"Stubborn girl wouldn't leave me alone!" Vladimir exclaimed as he busily riffled the pages of his thick, leather bound and heavy book of spells. "She's very much alive. I'm her secret keeper, mind you. She commissioned me to perform the Fidelius Charm on her and as you can see it, I'm about to betray her." Vladimir now didn't have second thoughts reversing the charm for Draco. Judging from his grandson's new outlook in life, he was so sure that Draco knew what he was doing. Unwillingly, he found himself trusting this pompous 'man.'

"You didn't kill her?" Draco echoed instead, totally confused. His eyes were wide with surprise.

Vladimir stopped abruptly. He turned to him and gave him a look that said 'there is something terribly wrong with you, isn't there?' 

Draco immediately got his meaning. "I— I mean considering that you are now one of the undead and--," he stopped momentarily. Noting the look that his grandfather gave him— he never felt so stupid. And he hated it! He sighed impatiently. "Surely you couldn't blame me for suspecting something fishy going on about!" Draco protested. "You didn't drink her blood. You didn't drink my blood. You're a vampire. What's your catch?" he asked suspiciously.

"Oy, dream on! And what makes you think that I'm dying to have a taste of yours?" Vladimir exclaimed. "Excuse me, but I don't want to drink YOUR blood! Foul stuff you've got there," he continued, his face scrunching with disgust. "And besides, Snape was here a while ago. He gave me his anti-vampire serum. I am to take it regularly, as it eradicates my desire for blood."

"Oh," Draco murmured thoughtfully. Then he frowned with displeasure. "Hey, what do you mean by my blood being foul?"

The older man rolled his eyes. "Finally! Took you forever to notice, eh?" Then he looked at him with disgusted amusement. "Still vain as ever, Draco?" he asked with rancor. 

Draco was about to answer back when his grandfather finally let out a satisfied cry, obviously finding the spell he was looking for. When his grandfather positioned his wand against him, Draco frowned as realizations coursed through him.

For the first time in his life, Vladimir Malfoy II actually called him using his name.

Now, that was an improvement!

Reluctantly, he smiled.

==========

"It's not like I wanted that to happen, you know."

Harry turned sideways only to see the huge, childish grin Nathan granted him. He sighed and fondly ruffled his son's hair. It had been a while since he left Draco to settle something with his grandfather. Now, he found himself sitting just beside the door, on a chair Fields got for him, waiting for Draco anxiously, like a father expecting a new-born baby just like in the movies, and talking quietly with his son. Although, it was clear that Nathan couldn't understand any of the things he was saying, still it was comforting to know that someone who didn't have a sarcastic bone in his body was actually listening.

"I really cared about her. I really did. It's just that that Malfoy prat there caught her first," he paused and turned his attention back at the door, wondering just what mayhem Draco was causing in there right that very minute. From the look he saw in Draco's eyes, and from the unyielding expression he saw in Vladimir's, it wouldn't surprise him now to find Draco pale and weak with two puncture marks on his neck later on. Then he settled his eyes back at his son. "Now, what have you to say, short man?" he asked.

Nathan looked up momentarily. "Daddy?" was all he could think of saying. Well, frankly, it was the only word he could say as of now, other than 'Ginny' and 'Malfy.' Despite the current situation, Harry found himself laughing softly as he playfully ruffled his hair into disarray. The little boy giggled with delight, thinking that it was another new game, obviously unaware of how strained everything was at the moment. 

It was really hard to believe that before, he couldn't even bring himself to look at this boy right after his wife died of childbirth. Somehow, it was really painful to look at Nathan, knowing that everytime his eyes would land on his face, he would remember Cho. Then remembering Cho would make him remember the pain of losing her. It took him a couple of months before he actually pulled himself through, with the help of Ron and Hermione. It was also that time when his son uttered his first word. 

He remembered clearly. It was a hot summer night and he was having his usual dinner with the whole Weasley lot. Hermione was holding his son in her arms, Ron was holding Sylvia, and they were outside the house, in the patio, waiting to be called for dinner. Hermione was asking him to pay attention because Nathan had learned a new word. But he wouldn't listen. He wouldn't even look. Then an argument broke out. Hermione was really angry and amidst the raised and affected voices around him, Nathan smiled innocently and uttered 'dada.' That made him stop. Reluctantly, he searched for the voice that wittingly stirred his senses and found his son looking up at him with those bright green eyes, so very much like his. He had looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. When his son smiled, instantly, his chest jolted, warmth spreading inside him and he never felt so happy, so satisfied. The empty and aching space inside him instantly filled. 

"Daddy?" Nathan asked wonderingly. He noticed the misty look on his father's face. He placed his little hand on his arm, his smile withering a little and called him again. "Daddy?"

Harry pushed the memories away and forced himself to smile. "Yes, son?" he asked. He was about to muss little Nathan's hair again when the door beside them suddenly burst open. Harry immediately stood up to see a pensive-looking Draco emerging from it.

"What? What happened? Where is she?" Harry demanded as Draco hurriedly walked past him. Harry quickened his gait and went after him, leaving Nathan staring after them. "Did you learn anything?"

"She's at the Burrow," replied Draco promptly. "Grandfather told me everything." He raked his fingers through his hair and was about to step down the stairs when Harry spoke smugly.

"I told you she could be at the Burrow," said the other man while crossing his arms over his chest. "Coming here was a total waste of time."

Draco stopped and turned to him. "She's under the Fidelius Charm with my Grandfather as her secret keeper, idiot," he hissed. "Even if I would have gone directly to the Burrow I wouldn't have been able to see her. She doesn't want me to find her, don't you remember?"

"Then I really think it's your problem, Malfoy," quipped Harry. He smirked nastily at him, taking the opportunity to be all cruel and sarcastic while Nathan was busy poking Fields, who suddenly popped out of nowhere to check on his Master's condition, to no avail. 

Draco smiled at him maliciously. "It always has been, Potter," he replied acerbically. "After all, she is my wife."

That suddenly shut Harry up. Instead, he rolled his eyes tiredly and called for his son. "So where to now?" he asked while Nathan made his way towards them, running.

"Well, I'm going to the Burrow and look for Ginny while you," Draco paused and sailed down the stairs, "you can do pretty much what you want to do." He took his coat from the floor and draped it over his shoulders.

"Ha, ha, very funny," said Harry, irritably. Then his face turned grim. "I'm serious, Malfoy," he started. Draco stopped abruptly, turning to him. "I meant what I said back there. I'm going to help Ginny."

Draco momentarily stared at him. Finally, he nodded with a rueful sigh. "I know," he growled as Harry proceeded to get his broom, which was propped against the wall just beside the door. "Same plans."

At that, Harry turned to him incredelously. "Are you crazy?" he exclaimed. He took Nathan by the hand and pulled the boy closer to him. "There is no way in this world that I would leave my son in that room, alone with a full-fledged, eccentric vampire especially with a last name like yours, Malfoy!"

"Oh come on, Potter!" Draco said with exasperation. "He's my grandfather and he absolutely won't hurt Nathan! He may be a vampire, yes, but Snape's been giving him his daily dose of anti-vampire serum! It makes him almost mortal." Still Harry looked unconvinced. Seeing that, Draco sighed impatiently. "Just look at me!" He swung his right arm before his face till his eyes nearly crossed each other behinds his glasses, looking at it. "Not pale! Not bloody! No puncture marks! Very alive!"

"Oh get real! It's you we're talking about! Who would even want to drink your blood, Malfoy?" Harry asked with disgust. "You would be the last person Count Dracula would—"

"I simply refuse to stand here and take all this," said Draco, clearly incensed. It was obvious that he was already losing his patience. "I have come to the sudden conclusion that I really don't freaking care about what you do! Your son is your problem. I'm going! Leave him here if you want to come and— meddle!" 

"NO!" Harry exclaimed stubbornly. 

Draco frowned, annoyed. "Fine!" he cried out as he picked his broom up next. "Be that way!" He turned away from him, opened the door and stepped outside, dragging his broom behind him. Harry followed and watched the other man mounting his own broom with subtle fury. Draco turned momentarily and smirked at him sardonically. "You stay here and watch for your son while I go there and sort things out. Wait for my owl! Or better yet, take him with us. Use your broom and see him fall off. I'll wait for you to get there tomorrow!"

Harry was about to answer back when he felt Nathan frantically tugging at his shirt. Harry looked down, puzzled, forgetting Draco. "Yes son?" he asked. Then he frowned when he saw his son fearfully looking up at him. 

"Ginny," Nathan breathed, his eyes wide with fright, his voice almost a whisper. "Ginny." 

At that, Harry immediately turned to Draco who was about to kick off from the ground and shot up into the night, calling him urgently. 

Hearing his name, Draco stopped and turned to him, obviously pissed. "What now?" he grouched.

Harry looked at his son's direction as his reply. Draco's eyes followed suit. Seeing the little boy's frightened face, his grumpy demeanor changed to that of being concerned. He hopped down from his broom and knelt before him. "What do you see?" Draco asked, taking the boy by the shoulders. "Come on, Nathan, what do you see?"

But the boy just remained there, staring at him fearfully. "Ginny," he whispered. 

Hearing and seeing that was enough to send Draco's nerves jump with fear and anxiety. He shook his head and stood up, getting frantic by the minute. Ginny! He had to get to her at once! 

"Damn it!" he softly exclaimed, feeling helpless for the first time in his life.

"I'm coming with you, Malfoy," came Harry's firm voice. He protectively picked his trembling son up in his arms. 

Draco turned to him. "I have to get there now, Potter," he declared loudly as he prepared to mount his broom again, his voice stern but grasping for some understanding. "I have to get to her with or without your help."

"Wait!" exclaimed Harry. Draco stopped and waited. "Think about it, Malfoy. We don't know what she's up against. Judging from everything that has happened and Nathan's obvious fear, surely its something bad or evil! Don't you think it would be much better to have two wizard's there than one?"

"I know! But we don't have much time! I—"

"I just remembered," he started thoughtfully, "Yes, we can take him with us. Mr. Weasley has a Portkey Point built up in his backyard. We could use your portable Portkey to get there." Then he shook his head in disgust. "There is nothing in this world that will ever make me go back in your grandfather's Portkey Point so I think it would be much wiser to use yours instead."

Draco nodded slowly. "Well, we could do that but." He stopped and looked at little Nathan, feeling suddenly unsure. "I don't think we should take Nathan with us, Potter. You said it yourself, we don't know what's in there right now and—" he broke off upon seeing the beginnings of an argument written across Harry's face. He sighed, turning away from him. "Look, I just have a bad feeling about this, okay? I really don't think that it would be a good idea to take your son with us." 

"So what do you suggest we do, Mr. I-can-see-the-future-so-we-do-what-I-say?" Harry asked sarcastically. When Draco gave him a stony look, he immediately shut his mouth, feeling a little guilty. He knew it wasn't helpful to be sarcastic at a time like this but he couldn't control himself. 

Seeing Harry's not-so-repentant stare, Draco looked away thoughtfully as he tried his best not to panic. As of now, they didn't know what they were up against. It would be really advisable if Harry would show up later. If they had to face a duel, then it would be better if he went first. He would try his best to hold whatever it was off and fight it. But if worse came to worse, if something really, really bad should happen to him, then at least he would have Potter to carry through, securing Ginny's safety. After a moment of thinking, he turned to him and said, "Why don't you take him to my mother?" 

"Uh, how?" Harry asked as he shifted his son to his other arm. "Are you forgetting that it would be risky to use brooms here?"

"You can't use my Portkey to get to the Manor because I don't have a strategic point built up there," Draco murmured thoughtfully, deaf to Harry's voice. "Travelling through Floo powder is out of the question since I have all the fireplaces temporarily disconnected from the Floo Network. Apparating is not advisable since you have to be licensed, which is clearly different from Nathan's case." He stopped and turned to Harry's awaiting expression. "You can use the carriages," he finally said. Then he nodded vigorously at no one in particular while making his way back inside the manor. "Yes, that's it! You can use the carriages. Malfoy Manor is not that far from here."

Harry found himself nodding as well. "Okay, so when I finally get to the Burrow I'd probably find the perpetrator already dead but nevertheless see and hear some action from the both of you, smooching your way up to Bulgaria or something that—" 

Draco looked at him disgustedly.

Harry, seeing that, mercifully shut up and gave him an apologetic look. "Okay, I know I'm not being helpful, here."

Draco rolled his eyes and continued. "You use my Portkey, Potter." He stopped and suddenly yelled. "Fields!" Then he turned to Harry once again while waiting for the ghost. "After dropping your son off in Malfoy Manor, you can use my Portkey to get to the Burrow. The timing would be perfect." He nodded, satisfied with the plan. "Yes, you'd make it on time." 

"In time for what?" Harry asked, frowning.

Draco ignored him. Just then he felt cold as Field's transparent form floated towards them. "You called, young Master?" he inquired passively.

Draco turned to the ghost butler first. "Yes," he said instead. "Have the carriages ready, the horses saddled."

"Very well, sir," the ghost said sensing the urgency in his voice. It immediately floated away to see to the errand. 

Alone with Harry again, Draco turned to him, his face surprisingly softening. "Look, Potter," he started gravely. "Against my wishes, I really don't have much choice but to rely on you." He paused and swallowed hard. "Should anything happen to me, I'm counting on you to be there on time, carry through and take care of everything, all right? Do I have your word?" He handed his Portable Portkey to him.

"Now that's what I call convincing," Harry quipped, rolling his eyes. Then he looked at Draco with reluctant acceptance and sighed, taking the Portkey he offered him and pocketing it. "Of course," he replied with undenied sincerity. "You have my word on it, Malfoy."

"Then let's get going," he said turning around. Harry turned around as well only to see Fields waiting for them. He was about to follow the ghost to the stables when he suddenly remembered something. 

"One question," called Harry.

Draco turned to him. "What?"

"Why don't you just apparate there? You know the exact location, right?"

Draco looked heavenwards. "Are you even using your brains at all, Potter?" he asked irritably. When Harry looked at him darkly, Draco let out a fatigued sigh. "I could but since something vile is in there, lounging on about or doing something abominable to Ginny, magic barriers would undoubtedly be put up around its perimeter to prevent apparating. And that goes the same for Floo Powders," he explained. "Surely, if you're trying to kill someone, you won't want little ol' somebody helpful to come popping up in there to spoil the party, would you?" 

Harry's brows crinkled stubbornly. "But still—"

"Have you ever tried apparating to a place that has magic barriers in it?" Draco cut in gruffly.

When Harry stared at him silently, he smirked. "Because if you haven't, then be free to try by apparating in Malfoy Manor and tell me how it was for you next week after you have recuperated," said Draco spitefully. "Whereas, I'm sure as hell that I don't want to be blasted back. I'm not taking that sort of chance again."

"So you've tried it," said Harry. "Nothing surprising there really, knowing how much you wanted to break rules and apparate to places you're not supposed to go to."

"Just like you did, Potter?" Draco asked mildly. 

For the first time, Harry couldn't think of a proper retaliation to this. It was actually the truth. He, Ron and Hermione did have their share of disobedience when they were still going at Hogwarts. They DID break a thousand school rules back then. It was common knowledge to everybody. 

"Oh get a life, Malfoy!" Harry spat, pissed. 

"Why don't you? I already have one!" Draco shot back. Then mumbling something about being ridiculously childish, he turned around and made his way towards the door. He was about to make his way out when he heard Harry again. 

"Malfoy!" 

Draco turned around. He frowned, incensed. "What now?"

"If you're going to fly then use my broom," said Harry. "It's faster."

At that, Draco looked down only to finally notice that Harry was indeed using the newest, the fastest and the most expensive broom up to date, made using both Wizard and Muggle technology with only sixteen units available. He held it against the faint light only to see the name 'Eaton 3000' engraved on the unique, shiny broom handle. _"How the hell did Potter get his hands on this baby?"_ he thought wildly. He couldn't believe that he had actually carelessly dragged an Eaton 3000 against the rock riddled ground a while ago! He focused his attention back to Harry and nodded.

"Thanks," he said. He mounted it easily, already feeling the better benefits of the broom's unique features. Feeling his weight, the broom immediately let out its added feature, a pair of small, adjustable and almost invisible winglets at the broom tip. He smirked, fully aware of the added effectiveness of the aerodynamic stability of the broom beneath him. He gave Harry one last look. "I'll see you."

And with that, he quickly kicked off from the ground, shot up and sped into the night.

========== 

"Therese?"

__

"Lumos."

The room immediately flooded with light. Ginny looked up only to see her Muggle secretary, sitting on a nearby couch, legs crossed elegantly and just looking at her with her feline eyes. She was tapping the wand against her cheek, her sharp eyes not leaving her face. Her blond hair, she noticed, were now as white as tinsels, shining beautifully against the bright lights of her room. Somehow, now that she saw her again, she couldn't help but notice something different about her. She looked more beautiful but there was danger in her smile. She looked colder, more ruthless. She didn't particularly like the smile she gave her.

"Therese, what is the meaning of this?" Ginny demanded, now fully awake. Somehow, a heavy lump of fear formed inside her stomach. How come she was having this nagging feeling to be suddenly with Draco? "How did you get here?" 

The other woman just smiled at her again. Ginny's frown deepened, not sure if she was just dreaming or not. She was about to call her name once more when a sudden whoosh of dizziness swept past her. She closed her eyes, feeling terribly light-headed. Then to her horror, she felt her head drooping, her limbs weakening. She tried moving them, to no avail. It seemed like she was completely paralyzed. She tried her best to look up.

"What did--," she paused and took a deep breath. It seemed like even speaking was an effort, "you do to me? Did— did you give me something?"

Seeing that, the other woman finally stood up. "Oh, don't worry," said Therese as she produced two sturdy ropes out of nowhere. She slowly made her way towards the bed. "Just a harmless draft I made, mixed in your milk. You'll be out of that in just a couple of minutes." Then before Ginny could do anything, Therese set the wand aside and immediately took hold of her hands and tied them securely. "But then again, a couple of minutes is all I need to be done with everything," she quipped while forcing her up from her bed.

"You were the one who's been trying to kill me all along?" Ginny asked weakly as she stumbled against the other woman's body, her head drooping onto her shoulders. She gritted her teeth as anger filled her. When she saw Therese taking a wand from the table, her anger turned to fury. "That's my wand!"

The woman's eyes sharpened with anger. "I know!" she said aloud. Then struggling her weight over hers, Therese placed her in front of her body, held her by the shoulders and pushed her gruffly towards the door. "You snatched me from my nook and slammed me roughly inside my cage before I could even grab my own wand!" Then she smiled lightly while opening the door and pushing her outside. "Mmm, it would be treat getting back at you, Ginny," she cooed lightly.

Hearing her eerie sing-song voice, Ginny couldn't be sure if the woman was plain insane or just had nothing better to do . Her head limply fell to her side as they carefully treaded down the stairs, with Therese's unusual strength supporting her heavy, flaccid body. 

"All this trouble for that?" she asked sarcastically amidst her feebled state. When they reached the living room, Therese pushed her roughly on one of the couches before the fire. Ginny let out a soft yelp as she landed with a loud thump, hurting her backside. She tried her best to keep her eyes open. "Tell me, are you the one who has been trying to kill me all along? If yes, then was that the only reason why you—"

"You always refer to me a male cat!" Therese exclaimed shrilly. "Honestly! Can't you even tell a male cat from a female one? Jesus!" 

At that, Ginny found herself giving her a look that said 'that's ridiculously shallow' despite her weakened state. 

Seeing that, Therese stood before her and placed her hands haughtily on her hips, pouting like a child who lost a toy. "Not only that, but you and this crazy blond woman have this weird tendency to pick me up and tickle me everywhere whenever you feel like it!" Then she sighed dramatically. "I am so sick and tired of being kicked around, you know. Try being a cat for a day and tell me if I'm not being honest here."

Ginny frowned. Therese was an Animagus? Moreover, Therese was a witch? But why didn't she breathe a word about it before? Then she looked away thoughtfully. Well, considering that Therese too, in her belief, didn't know that Ginny was a witch— she had a point, after all, for hiding her true identity. She tried her best to stay awake instead. "Is that all?" she asked weakly. 

With that, Therese's lovely face grazed another cold smile. "Maybe," she replied sweetly while walking towards the window. She brushed the drapes aside and stared outside, the light of the moon shining on her face. Then she gave out an audible sigh of satisfaction upon seeing the semi-thin red light surrounding the moon's brilliant whiteness. The tail of the dusky scarlet gleam was almost touching its other end, near to forming a circular thin but clouded red line surrounding the bright celestial orb illuminating the dark night sky.

__

"Blood on the moon," she thought as she saw the red line slowly moving upwards with anticipation. _"It won't be long now."_ She suddenly brightened up. 

Ginny, upon witnessing the dreadful smile, felt a sudden flash of fear slicing within her. She didn't like the smile at all! It was a smile that contained hundreds of meaning, evil meanings, mostly. She wasn't telling the truth. She was definitely hiding something from her. Surely, there was a deeper reason as to why she wanted her dead. Could it be that Voldemort was still alive and behind all this? Or maybe Therese was Draco's former lover, jealous and hungry for vengeance?

"You should've died sooner, you know," she said after a moment, her eyes not leaving the moon. Then she shook her head unhappily. "That way, everything would've been easier. Oh, the wasted time and effort—"

"So— so— you were--, Ginny broke off, horror stricken.

Therese turned to her and just gave her honeyed smile. 

She closed her eyes momentarily and swore at herself. 

So it wasn't Draco after all! _"Oh, stupid Ginny!"_ she thought. How could she even accuse and suspect Draco of such a horrible thing? Now she was in deep trouble. Would Draco look for her or rescue her? She found herself asking. 

__

"That's just wishful thinking," her inner side answered. 

Then she bit her lip as another set of tears threatened to fall. She was the one who first ran away, right? And the Fidelius Charm— Oh dear, now she was done for. 

__

"It is almost time." Therese shook her head slowly. "That blasted carriage thing didn't work so I had to poison you," she started, shattering her thoughts. She detached herself away from the window and made her way towards the paling woman. "But unfortunately that bloody Puffskein drank the coffee, not leaving some for you. Greedy little creature got what he deserved!" Then she giggled coquettishly, sitting beside her. "I'm telling you it was really hard to clamber up into that carriage without being noticed that Christmas night and it was thanks to that girl she opened the window," she paused, her face wrinkling with displeasure. "If not for that boy, then—"

"The Xiphias Potion was yours?" Ginny asked breathlessly. Much to her confusion, it was suddenly becoming difficult for her to breathe and talk.

"Yes, silly!" Therese exclaimed, ignoring the other woman's obvious sufferings. "I planted that nasty little potion in Draco's secret compartment, you know." Then she looked away thoughtfully while shaking her head slowly, making her fine hair swish from side to side. "Really, the unusual things you will notice when you're small."

"So I assume you're also the one who took the necklace and placed it inside the drawer? Why?" Ginny forced out through gasping breaths. She had to know!

"For you to see the potion, suspect Draco and run away from him. The last thing I needed to perform this difficult spell is a distraction. Everything's all planned out, really," quipped Therese, nodding vigorously. "I just know that there was something odd about that necklace. It pulled you towards it, right?"

"Then why don't you just kill me now?" asked Ginny. She just couldn't believe she was curious! "There are many knives in the kitchen."

"Oh, I would but I have to kill you using magic now," said Therese in surprisingly gentle voice. "You may notice later," she stopped and giggled, her right hand delicately shooting up only to touch her right cheek. "Oh silly me, you won't be alive to see it, right? Anyway, you may notice that I already have the house free of those sharp, pointy things you call knives and letter openers should anybody decide to crash into our little affair."

"Then why don't you just point MY wand at me and say 'Avada Kedavra' now?" Ginny asked impatiently. Then to her dismay, she suddenly found her vision already blurring. She closed her eyes and opened them once more only to see hazy images yet again. Just what kind of potion was this anyway? She couldn't remember Snape teaching them to make potions that can weaken your body and temporarily impair your sense of sight. But then again, Snape never taught them potions used in the Dark Arts. It was against Hogwarts' Rules and Regulations.

At that, Therese looked at her oddly and frowned. "Do you want to die?" she asked whimsically. Then without waiting for her answer, she shook her head dismissively. "It's a little complicated, Ginny. There's a proper spell to be used." Then she grinned and placed her hand on top of her belly as Ginny helplessly sat there and looked. "That changed everything. It would be like hitting two birds with one stone. I'm going to get your body. He's going to get his bride. Nothing personal, really." Then she looked at her in the eye. "I do hope you know what I mean." Then she stood up, leaving the wide-eyed Ginny staring after her with wonder. 

__

"Am I--," she looked at Therese who nonchalantly made her way back towards the window. _"I'm going to have a baby?" _In spite of everything, a happy and indescribable feeling soared inside her. She's going to have a baby! Draco's baby! She felt so ecstatic that the thought of asking who that 'HE' she was referring to, was completely overlooked! So that explained why she was eating like there's no tomorrow, the morning sickness, why Snape insisted on clamping her mouth with a thermometer first in order to be sure just what kind of potion he would give her, her period getting late— Actually, she thought that it was just her usual cycle irregularity, nothing strange but-- 

__

"Oh my god I'm going have a baby!" she thought happily, her present situation momentarily forgotten. _"I'm gonna have a baby!"_ Then after a few seconds, she frowned as realization hit her. _"I just can't believe that I learned such a joyous news in a situation like this!" _Her eyes darkened as she focused them on Therese. _"And that woman told me!" _

"Of course, you're also aware that I couldn't kill you using magic, even before, right?" Therese asked, unperturbed, unaware of the things going on inside Ginny's head.

Ginny looked at her blurry form, deeply annoyed. "Can't you see I'm having an almost happy-mother-to-be moment here?" she replied sarcastically, gathering what's left of her strength. Then she frowned. "What do you mean by that?" she asked feebly, her voice now a whisper.

At that, Therese's eyes widened incredelously. "I can't believe you don't know!" she exclaimed. When Ginny just gave her a look, she sighed and placed herself in front of her. "You're protected with the _Adamanto Reflectera _charm, Ginny," explained Therese. "It's the most powerful protective-reflective charm up to date, mind you, because any harmful magic cast onto you will naturally be reflected back to the caster. Not many can perform that." Then she smiled. "So as you can see, I cannot just point my wand at you and shout Avada Kedavra. It will bounce back on me."

Ginny's mouth slightly dropped open. Surprisingly, speech impairment came next. She was already too weak to talk. She couldn't do anything but stare at her and wait patiently, hoping that she would explain everything. Adamanto Reflectera? Most powerful protective-reflective charm up to date? But who would even-- 

"I really can't believe you don't know!" Therese exclaimed again. She looked at her in sheer disbelief. "Your husband was the one who performed it on you! Quite a difficult charm to cast," she paused and rolled her eyes, "and to reverse, actually since you have to use adamantine in mist form. You know how difficult it is to turn adamantine into mist, right? Almost utterly impossible for ordinary wizards but your husband's an exceptional and talented one in the lot. And also, the caster alone can take it off. It uses voice codes or something. I'm not really sure what it's called but I've already figured the solution to that," she continued talkatively while fanning the wand against her face with boredom. Then she stopped and turned serious. "Took me a while to learn it. But now," she pointed the wand tip in her direction, "let's try to find out if I did learn to take it off correctly, shall we?"

__

"Draco was the one who did the charm?" Ginny thought, deaf to Therese's low, raspy voice. Then a bittersweet smile curved her lips. _"Draco— protected me? But why?"_

"Adamantinus Evanescere—" 

Therese's eyes narrowed in deep concentration as she muttered the words with eerie conviction. She held both of her hands before Ginny, the wand shooting tiny sparks from its tips, a signal that the spell was actually working.

__

"Adorior—"

Ginny found herself smiling weakly. She looked at Therese's grim face and wondered just why she was feeling so at peace and reposed considering that she would die later on. Maybe it was because she had finally accepted it. Or maybe it was because of the fact that Draco did, indeed, care a little for her. She focused her attentions back to the other woman. _She seemed to know what she's doing_, she thought. 

__

"He protected me," she said to herself again, feeling blissful and satisfied. It won't be long now, she thought, already too weak to fight. She couldn't see and hear right. She couldn't even move her legs… She could do nothing but close her eyes, waiting. _"I'm sorry, Draco."_

__

"Ex In Corpore Vili—" 

Just then, a knock. 

Then a voice. 

A most familiar voice.

"Ginny!"

Ginny's heart gave a sudden leap. Her eyes immediately snapped open. "Ginny!" she heard again.

"Shit!" Therese hissed, her concentration ruined. Forgetting about the spell, she quickly went up to her and yanked her forcefully to her feet. "I can't believe Draco found you! And so soon!" she said as she dragged the other woman with her. 

Ginny tried her best to scream out, to answer back, but no words came out of her lips. Instead, she longingly looked at the kitchen while she was being dragged towards her father's study. 

Therese, in turn, opened the door gruffly and shoved her carelessly inside. She towed Ginny towards the large leather armchair and pushed her roughly down onto it. Ginny landed with a soft thump, her eyebrows crinkling with the momentary pain the action brought.

When Therese heard the backdoor in the kitchen creaking open, she smiled evilly at her. "I have a better plan. Don't go anywhere," she purred. Then she closed her eyes and concentrated. After a moment, she opened them once again and grinned candidly at her. 

Ginny's eyes immediately widened with horror at the sight that greeted her. In spite of the blurry vision, she could clearly make out the other woman's new form. She opened her mouth as if to say something but the other woman ignored her. Bending down, Therese gave Ginny a sound kiss on the cheek.

"Don't worry, Ginny," she cooed venomously. "I'll give Draco the welcome he so deserves." 

And with that, she made her way towards the door and stepped out, leaving her alone staring after her, horror stricken.

==========

__

"Alohomora."

Draco muttered as he flicked his wand against the door's metal knob. Instantly, the door creaked open without a fight. He stepped cautiously inside only to see the kitchen surrounded in darkness. "Seems like nobody's home," he said to himself, looking around. He really felt terrible trespassing into the Weasley's private property but he had no choice.

__

"Lumos," he said softly. Instantly, the room lit up. He looked around and frowned at the peculiar stillness of the whole house. Where were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley? Ron and Hermione? Ginny and the Demon-or-whatever-evil-it-was? He was kind of expecting loud noises, screams and banging sounds the moment he arrived but—

"Ginny," he called as he carefully propped Harry's 'expensive' broom against a wall just beside the kitchen door. He made his way towards the living room, only to discover it faintly lit, the fire in the fireplace near to dying. He turned his eyes away from it and was about to make his way up the stairs to check her room when he saw a tiny form, curled up, lying in a fetal-position on a couch just beside the front doors of the house.

Instantly, his heart gave a fearful and nervous loud thud.

"Gin?" he called frantically. When she didn't move, panic rose within him. Could she be— He shook his head and quickly made his way towards the tiny thing dressed in delicate lilac, looking so vulnerable and fragile. He knelt before the couch and shook her gently. "Ginny, please wake up."

Silence.

__

"At least she's breathing," he thought, noting the faint rising and falling of her chest. He was about to call her again when suddenly, Ginny's body stirred. Then moments later, much to Draco's relief, she fluttered her eyes open. She looked up only to see his face looming over her, peering at her with concern. His face softened upon noticing her eyes, red and puffy. He was so sure that it was a result from crying. And it-- pained him.

"Draco?" she whispered, sitting up and scratching her head. When her brain started to focus, she frowned with displeasure and immediately scuttled away from him. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?" she demanded nastily.

Draco found himself frowning with the sudden outburst. Endearment and concern already forgotten, he stood up and angrily faced her. "Oh, it was nice to see you too, Ginny!" he said scornfully. When Ginny shot him a dirty look, Draco let out a very irked sigh. "Have you had any idea how worried sick I was?" he exclaimed, standing up and walking away from her. "I was looking for you everywhere! With everybody trying to kill you and you running away from the manor, suspecting me—"

"And you're other woman, actually," spat Ginny visciously.

This made Draco stop. Ginny stood up as well and smirked at him nastily. "Don't deny it, Draco." She crossed her arms on her chest and stared at him darkly. "I saw you!"

Draco threw his hands up into the air as another set of arguments brewed and boiled right before his very eyes. "I have never heard something as stupid as—" 

"Fine! Call me stupid!" Ginny answered back, aloud. "But I'm not! I know what's going on with you and that— that woman! Honestly, you could've just--" 

"I am not calling you stupid!" Draco spat angrily. "And nothing's going on between me and Blaise! Can't you understand something as simple as that?" 

"Look, why don't you just go away, leave me alone, and crawl back to Blaise? There is no need for you to protect me. The killer's already been caught, all right? My parents are away for the Ministry convention and Ron and Hermione are already dealing with him in the Law Enforcement office," Ginny ranted on spitefully. When Draco just looked at her quite obscurely, she let a tiny sigh. "Just go, okay? In that way, everybody will be happy, all right?" 

With that, Draco stopped, his face softening, pained. He stared at her first. "That will make you happy, Ginny?" he asked finally as he slowly made his way towards her. "If I go away, will that make you happy?" 

Silence.

"Just answer me with a yes or no and I promise you I'll stop," said Draco. He was now in front of her. "Will it make you happy if I leave?" He placed his hands on her heaving shoulders and forced her to look at him. 

Ginny reluctantly obliged. She stared at his eyes only to see them unusually glossy and shiny, possibly with unshed tears. But then, she hardened her heart. "Just go away," she muttered, quickly turning around once again. She was about to walk away from him, when Draco suddenly held her back, clutching her right hand. He pulled the woman forcefully to him, their faces already inches apart.

"Why can't you give me a definite answer, Virginia?" he whispered silkily, looking straight at her eyes, his voice undeniably aching. "All I want is for you to be happy, you know. So if my leaving you alone will make you happy, then so be it." 

Ginny's eyes widened with the unexpected words. "How can I answer you when I don't even understand everything myself," she replied. 

Draco smirked at her arrogantly. "Will you let me make you understand?" he asked softly. Then without waiting for an answer, Draco let go of her hand and lifted her face up to his. "Will this make you understand?" He was about to lower his lips onto hers when he suddenly felt her left hand going up to his face.

"I almost forgot how beautiful you are," said Ginny mistily. She stared at him with a faraway look in her eyes mixed with wonderment. "Sounds crazy but I— I actually missed you." 

He smiled softly and took her hand in his. "I missed you too," he said while bringing it onto his lips. He kissed it tenderly and was about to settle his lips on hers when his silver eyes caught her ring finger. He looked up at her, puzzled. Then his eyes sharpened dangerously.

"I love you, Draco," she whispered, oblivious to the sudden suspicious look he gave her. She was about to tip her head up to his and kiss him when Draco suddenly gripped her wrist tightly. She gave a yelp of pain upon feeling his fingers brutally digging onto her tender skin. 

He yanked her gruffly to him, soft sparkling eyes turning murderous. "Who are you?" he rasped.

==========

Ginny blinked her eyes rapidly and took another deep breath, filling her lungs with the precious air. Finally, the numbness seemed to be slowly ebbing away since she felt the smooth leather covering of her father's seat brushing against her skin little by little.

__

"Just a bit more," she coaxed herself as she tried her best to be at ease again. She shook her head as she felt her brain already clearing up, the heaviness passing away. She took another deep breath and relaxed.

__

"The effect of the potion's probably wearing off," she thought hopefully. After several moments of breathing and counting, she finally found her eyes focusing, her already visions clearing up. Then pulling herself from her slouched position, she tried her best sitting upright, feeling a little dizzy. 

Just then, she heard voices. Arguing voices.

__

"Draco!" she thought frantically. Instantly, she forced herself to stand up while twisting her hands against her Muggle bondage, the idea of Draco with that dangerous creature making her panic. Who knows what 'that' might do to him?

When she heard Draco already yelling angrily followed by a series of loud crashing and banging noises, an indication that a fight had broken loose, she furiously wriggled her hands, fighting to get free, not minding the excruciating pain the rough texture of the rope brought on her tender skin. _"Come on!"_ she hissed. _"Oh please, loosen a bit for me!"_

Then after several seconds of struggling and swearing, much to her satisfaction, the ropes finally loosened up enough so that she was able to slip her tiny hands off from it. 

"Finally," she whispered to herself as she threw the blasted thing away. Ginny thought about bursting out there and running to him but assessing the situation, she knew it would be terribly stupid to do so. What good would that do? The least that she could do was to be useful, if not helpful. Rubbing her wirst and wincing with pain, she decided to look around her father's office for something that would be of much use. 

"Blas it!" she suddenly whispered to herself. To her dismay, she had found nothing useful to kill the creature with. So the creature wasn't bluffing at all! Every sharp and pointed thing was indeed thrown away! Not even a single of her father's Muggle Chef's Knife collection he stupidly made her buy for him from TV Shopping or a letter opener could be found inside her father's office! She swore. If she only had her wand!

Then she stopped, remembering something vaguely. She wobbled towards her father's desk, determined, the aftereffect of the potion still getting to her. "If I remember correctly--," Her voice trailed off as she opened several drawers, searching. "Where does he keep it?" she asked herself in frustration. 

She opened and rummaged her father's desk drawers one by one, scattering papers and quills messily on the desk. Ginny knew her father had one of those! She remembered him showing it off one time to his Muggle-loving colleagues proudly. 

She was about to give up on the desk and settle for the shelves when she noticed a tiny drawer situated at the lower left corner of the sturdy writing desk, completely unopened. _"Why must every man have to have a blasted secret compartment built up for their desks?" _she asked herself darkly, bending down. She tried pulling it gently at first. When the drawer slid out easily beneath her hands, she let out a tiny smile and completely pulled the partially hidden compartment all the way out only to finally find what she was looking for.

Resting inside of the 'secret' compartment, waiting to be used, was Arthur Weasley's shiny and fully loaded 45-caliber gun. 

==========

"Draco, what are you—"

"That was good acting," Draco rasped, smirking. After a moment, he tightened his grip even more resulting to another set of cries from the woman. Then he yelled angrily. "Who are you?"

Seeing the furious statement on Draco's face, the woman finally decided to quit playing games. Instead, she smiled at him cruelly. "Impressive," she cooed as she finally wrenched her bruised wrist free from his grasp. Draco let go and stood there, motionless, as she sauntered away from him "How did you know?"

"Ring mark," replied Draco stoically. "The real Ginny would have the ring mark on her hand. After all she'd been wearing the wedding ring for three months already, surely that would leave a mark if she took it off." Then his eyes narrowed dangerously. "And you don't have it. Where is she?"

"Oh goody!" She clapped her hands once, her face showing delight. Draco suddenly found himself feeling a little queer talking to someone horrid and undoubtedly evil who exactly looked like Ginny. "Now you can save me the trouble and take the _Adamanto Reflectera _charm off her." 

"Where is she?" Draco asked quietly but nevertheless infuriated. 

Hearing this, she gave a saucy and light-hearted laugh. "You're really stubborn, I see," she finally quipped. Then she sighed and flipped her red hair behind her shoulder. "All right, three guesses," she purred, while holding up three of her fingers before her freckled face.

Draco's temper snapped. He furiously made his way towards the woman, arm already raised. "What did you do to her?" he yelled angrily. When the woman just granted him one of her honeyed smiles, he brought his right arm down and was about to hit her on the face when something inside him hesitated. He stopped, midway, his breath already flaring as he fought for self-control.

"What's the matter, Draco?" she purred sweetly. "Can't hit a girl?" When Draco just took quick calming breaths, she giggled. "Thought so." Then she closed her eyes and focused, murmuring faint Latin.

A gasp suddenly went out of Draco's mouth when he saw her molding out a new face. His eyes widened with genuine horror upon seeing her changing form before his very eyes. He backed away, totally freaked out, as the red color of her hair changed to blond. He took a terrified but fascinated breath while witnessing the most erratic and bizarre complete human transformation he had ever seen in his life! During the course of his study, he never actually believed that a wizard was capable of copying any kind of human form! He deemed it as ridiculous. Just a load of rubbish and exaggerated legends handed from generation to generation and not concrete in reliable facts! 

Until now. 

His mouth suddenly dropped open when she finally opened her eyes, now silver like his! He could do nothing but just to stand there, shaken. 

"Better now?" a deep male voice asked. _HIS_ deep male voice. It was a voice of the 'old' Draco. He, especially Potter, Granger and Weasley knew that voice very well. It was voice that spoke out nothing but cruelty, anger, spite--

"What are you?" Draco asked looking at a perfect replica of himself standing before him, having the same arrogant smirk, the same cold, cruel eyes. Then shaking his head as if to free his mind from awe and wonderment, he took his wand out and pointed it savagely to the creature. He wasn't sure of what it was but nevertheless, it had to die! 

__

"Expelliarmus!"

"Fuck! Wrong spell!" Draco scolded himself as bright, red sparks instantly began shooting off from his wand tip. The electric discharge went directly at the other man who was staring fixedly at him, unalarmed. Then much to Draco's surprise, the moment the hex smacked straight up against the creature's body, it suddenly bounced back. Before Draco could think of anything to do, it was already too late. Like a speed of lightning, the hex hurled back at him, hitting him full force on his stomach. It sent him crashing loudly against the wall. He fell on the floor with a loud, bone-jarring thud

The other man shook his head pityingly. "Tsk, I have the charm on me myself, mate. Forgot to tell you that, sorry. Good thing you didn't use a killing curse, eh?" Then he laughed cruelly and positioned Ginny's wand for precaution before Draco who was struggling hard to get up. "See just how good-looking you are?" Then he made his way slowly towards him. "I'll make you a deal. Take the protective charm off of her and I won't kill you. I won't even harm your face."

"The hell I will do that!" Draco yelled as he wiped his bleeding lips. He braced himself momentarily against the wall, heaving. "You can die first, bastard!"

"Look, I'm actually doing you a favor, all right?" the creature said exasperatedly. "I can't see the point of moving on with this fight. You can't even use magic and—"

"Who says something about using magic?" he growled. And with that, he threw his wand aside and lunged at the unsuspecting creature. Draco immediately seized its wand arm and brought it hard against his knee that it nearly cracked. 

The other man howled in pain as his arm nearly broke with the force. He swore out loud, fighting to get his arm free but due to Draco's fury, swearing and threatening proved to be useless as the real Draco tightened his grip on it and brought it hard, this time, against the wall. Finally, losing the fight, he reluctantly found his hand opening up, dropping the wand on the floor.

"Now, let's see what you're made of without magic," rasped Draco as he quickly raised his arm and brought his knuckles against the creatures face. It staggered back, its nose bleeding. 

Witnessing that, Draco stopped momentarily and stared.

It actually felt a little queer fighting with someone who just looked, moved and talked like him. It was like stupidly hitting himself! When he saw the blood trickling from 'his' perfectly shaped nose, the queer feeling suddenly disappeared as he felt queasiness replace it. Well, not to be vain here or anything, but technically speaking, he was deforming his own face! He was actually ruining a really fine and good-looking façade here, people! At that thought, his stomach gave a sudden sickening lurch.

"You bastard!" it yelled as it charged at him. Due to Draco's wandering thoughts, it easily granted Draco a sound blow on the face that sent the other man's right upper eyelid bleeding. Feeling something wet and sticky trickling from his forehead, Draco swore out loud and forced such vain thoughts away from his mind.

"You will pay for that!" Draco yelled furiously as he swung his arm up, ignoring 'his' nearly broken face. 

Not long after that, a heated brawl started inside the tiny living room with two blond and completely look-alike men fighting each other the Muggle way, both 'wandless.' They leaped and lunged at one another, hitting and shouting and yelling, over turning the couches, breaking and smashing everything into pieces and practically destroying anything that came their way. 

"What did you do to her?" Draco yelled as he swiftly brought his fists against the creature's stomach, causing it double over with the pain it brought, wheezing. He was about to bang its head against the glass coffee table when it suddenly pulled his leg. He fell heavily onto the floor and before he knew it, a sharp pain ignited against his rib cage. The blasted creature had kicked him! He cursed out loud and was about stand up when the door to Arthur Weasley's study suddenly burst open.

"Don't move!"

The two men immediately stopped upon hearing a shrill voice vibrating inside the house. They looked up only to see Ginny, standing by the study's doorway, heaving tiredly, terribly shaken but nevertheless looking very fierce with a gun firmly in her hand. 

"Ginny!" They both called at the same time. Realizing that, they turned to each other and frowned darkly.

Ginny's fierce disposition immediately turned to absolute confusion. "You can see me?" she cried, astounded. Then she frowned as she shook the thoughts about Vladimir and his Fidelius Charm away, the momentary confusion turning to horror when she noted the two men in front of her. 

Standing before her were two disgruntled, riotous, and not to mention, bleeding Draco Malfoys! Her mouth dropped open. _"Who's who?"_ she thought frantically seeing the sorry state of their red and bruised identical faces. Her eyes riveted towards their clothes only to find it both ripped and torn here and there. She swallowed hard, not sure of what to do. Not sure of who to shoot! She felt her lip quivering and her hand trembling. Surprisingly, the gun suddenly became too heavy for her.

"Ginny, where did you get that?" 

Her breathing quickened as her eyes immediately darted towards the man on her right. "Don't move or I'll shoot!" she cried as she aimed the gun at him. He immediately stopped and raised his hand in momentary surrender.

She was shaking violently and she was aware of it. But she didn't care! One of them was the killer and one of them was surely the real Draco. She couldn't just have a shooting spree here! Instead, she tightened her hand on the gun till she could feel the cool metal of the Muggle weapon quickly warming up, blending against the temperature of her skin.

"Do you even know how to use that?" The other man on her left asked, snorting with boredom. Then his face hardened and he looked at her straight in the eye. "I'm your husband, Virginia."

Ginny's eyes, in turn, riveted towards him only to see him smirking. "Please don't do anything or I'll shoot!" she cried out, her voice shaking, unable to conceal her fear and apprehension. Then she took a deep breath. "The real Draco can take the protective charm off me," she began, her hands gripping the gun firmly, her forefinger against the trigger, ready to shoot for any sudden movements. "Take both of the wands."

Silence.

Neither of the two moved.

Ginny's eyes narrowed as she tightened her hand against the gun even more. "I said take the wands, dammit!" she yelled.

"All right! All right!" The two exclaimed as they both searched and picked up their scattered wands from the floor. 

Seeing that, Ginny nodded in satisfaction, her breathing already becoming rapid. "All right, now take the charm off me," she instructed, still pointing the gun nozzle at them, ready to shoot.

"Are you crazy?" 

"No."

They both uttered at the same time.

At that, they glared at each other. If glares could kill, both of them would be lying on the floor right now, not breathing. 

"If you don't stop glaring and trying to kill each other, I swear I'll kill you off myself and I mean it!" Ginny shouted. "Take the blasted charm off me!"

With that, the man on her right finally heaved a tired sigh and positioned his wand in her direction. "Fine, if it'll make you happy."

"You don't need a wand to do that," the one on her left uttered. He smirked and slowly opened his mouth, letting the smooth Latin flow out. _"Evanescere"_

Instantly, Ginny felt something cold inside her body. But then, strangely the shilling discomfort was fleeting since she felt it lifting up from her. Then her eyes widened when a tiny silver orb shot out from her chest. It floated in front of her, leveling with her eyes. Then in a blink of an eye, it vanished like a bubble in thin air. Having been free from the _Adamanto Reflectera_ charm, Ginny immediately felt her body weakening as a strong gush of unseen force knocked against her. She felt herself burning up, her insides scorching as different kinds and strong waves of Dark Magic crashed against her simultaneously. She had always been sensitive to Dark Magic, ever since the first time she felt it during her first year. 

Then loud, cruel laughter.

"Ha! Too late!"

Ginny turned only to see the 'fake' Draco yelling out 'Stupefy.' In a flash, dark blue sparks came out from the impostor's wand. It hit her directly. And before she could do anything, she had accidentally pulled the trigger, creating a loud bang, before slumping onto the floor, unconscious. 

"Ginny!" Draco yelled as he saw her falling down. 

The creature, turned to him and smiled maliciously. "I have no use for you anymore! Now you--"

"Goddamn you!" the real Draco yelled angrily as he once, again, brought his fist against the creatures face, not letting him finish whatever curse it was he had planned to utter, the gun already forgotten. It fought for a while then much to his surprise, it stopped abruptly, listening closely. Then before his very eyes, it changed form again. His eyes widened only to see Ginny's hazel-eyes peering at him tearfully, her face bruised and bleeding.

The action infuriated him even more. He gripped the impostor by its dress's collar and pulled it gruffly to him. "You piece of---" He broke off when the front door suddenly burst open. He whipped his head around only to see Ron and Hermione Weasley forcing their way inside. At that moment, he realized why the creature went transformation again. So, it was clever as well! He swore under his breath. "Oh great! Just great!" he said sarcastically while rolling his eyes heavenwards. "What a great timing!"

"We heard gunshots!" Ron yelled frantically, running inside the messy sitting room. "Ginny!" he called out. "We received Terrence's letter and—" Then he stopped abruptly, frozen at his tracks. His jaw dropped unfashionably at the sight before him. When he finally found his voice, he swore out loud. "What the hell—" his voice trailed at the spectacle that greeted his wide, green eyes. Before him was the tall Draco Malfoy strangling a battered and bruised Ginny, with one of her eye already swollen. 

"Ron!" he heard her sister cry. "Help me!"

Hearing his sister's voice, he snapped out of his trance and immediately took his wand out. He furiously aimed the tip at Draco, rage completely written on his face. "What the fuck do you think you're doing hitting my sister?" Ron yelled angrily. Then without thinking, he cried out the disarming hex. 

Hermione gasped out loud upon noticing a pair of immobile feet not far away from the study's door, sticking vaguely out just behind the couch. "Wait, Ron—"

__

"Expelliarmus!" 

Another round of red sparks shot up into the air. It hit Draco severely on his stomach, hurling him against the wall again. He crumpled helplessly on the floor while groaning out in pain. Having been hit the second time around, Draco found himself actually buying some time to get up.

Ron, in turn, immediately ran up to her 'sister.' "Ginny, are you all right?" he asked as he quickly lifted her face up to the light to examine the damages. When he saw the wounded lip, the bleeding nose, and the swollen eye, he nearly cried. He swore out loud. "I'll kill him! That son of a bitch! I'll—"

"Thank you, Ron."

Then much to Ron's surprise, her 'sister' pointed her own wand at him and whispered up close. _"Stupefy!"_

"Ron!" Hermione yelled as she saw her husband slumping against the floor, suddenly unconscious. She knelt down and was about to mutter the counter-spell when she felt herself suddenly being lifted up into the air. She looked down, only to see another woman with blonde, tinsel-like hair standing there in Ginny's place, smiling at her evilly. "What kind of creature are you?" she cried out as she tried hard not to panic. _"Too strong," _she thought frantically, as she felt her power enveloping her. _"She's too strong!"_

"Don't move too much and stray my concentration or you'll fall," quipped Therese as she brought Hermione higher and higher that her head touched the ceiling. "I still need you alive." 

"You— get her down this--," Draco paused, his face scrunching with pain as he struggled up, his hand clutching his side. "You get her— down this instant."

"What and spoil the fun?" Therese asked, giggling buoyantly. She looked at Draco who was pale and bloody, obviously too bruised and weak to fight. Then her sharp eyes fell onto the two redheads, lying there unconscious on the floor, up to the brown-haired woman who was looking at her thoughtfully but nevertheless, terrified. 

She let out a very cold and cruel laugh.

"We're just getting started."

**__**

To be continued…


	15. Second Half: The Serpent's Bride

****

Author's Notes: Okay **Fred**, I was such a ninny! Arg! **I'm sorry but I just realized about the 'comment included in the file' thing after I sent you an e-mail asking about it**. ::chuckles:: Sorry! Oooohhh… you are so greeeeeennnnnnnn!!!! ::lol:: You really made me laugh with your comments. ^_^ Thank you so much for all the help! Of course, that doesn't exclude my gratitude to **Alli-chan** and **VioletJersey** ^_~

I'm terribly sorry if I let everybody hanging in the first part! Ehehehe… I swear I'm not torturing you! It's just that I'm having qualms about the second part that's why I've decided to post this a week after… giving me ample time to think things over and take a risk. **I'm not really sure about everything, but be rest assured that I really poured out my best in here** ^_^

Okay, I hope everybody will be satisfied with what I've decided to write here. Especially **Fred** and **VioletJersey**! You two really got me so confused that in the end I've finally decided to do both. So, if anybody finds anything peculiar or disagreeable, then don't blame me. Blame them. ::snickers:: Just joking! Just joking! I know my beta-readers won't suggest anything stupid. ^_^

Also, I've noticed that someone was actually about to read my other fics. **OH MY GOD! NO! DON'T READ THEM! THEY SUCK!** I tell you, they suck! When I was still writing them, I was still in the process of learning. Damn, I can't believe I even posted it there! I haven't even taken a beta-reader before because at that time, I don't know what a beta-reader was. ::grins:: What can I do? I'm an idiot. ^_^ Well, if you so insist, then be free to do so. Just don't blame me if it ruins your day ::winks::

Thank you, everybody for the reviews of the previous part! Gosh! I wasn't exactly expecting so much reviews since part 14 isn't through yet but what greeted me really surprised me! Wow! You people never really fail me! I am so touched! ::sob:: Over a thousand reviews?! Whoa!!! Thank you, thank you!

Okay, enough rambling! Here's the second part of chapter 14! Enjoy!

  
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Serpent's Bride XIV – The Serpent's Bride

~*~

__

"What and spoil the fun?" Therese asked, giggling buoyantly. She looked at Draco who was pale and bloody, obviously too bruised and weak to fight. Then her sharp eyes fell onto the two redheads, lying there unconscious on the floor, up to the brown-haired woman who was looking at her thoughtfully but nevertheless, terrified. 

She let out a very cold and cruel laugh.

"We're just getting started."

****

~*~

"Dammit!" 

Rebecca swore as she slowly guided her broom down. Where the hell was she, anyway? She hopped down and looked around her surroundings, all too foreign for her. When she didn't recognize a single thing, her pulse quickened anxiously. All right, it's official now. She was lost and she couldn't even see a damn thing . 

__

"Stupid! I should've brought my glasses with me!" she hissed at herself and at her poor night eyesight angrily. She turned around and saw nothing but a vague and curious wooden lopsided-cake form looming before her with windows sticking out from its timber-made planks. She focused her not-so-good eyes in front of her only to notice a tiny mailbox or something standing a few inches from her body. It was hard to say if it was a mailbox due to the night sky and her affected eyesight. She was about to walk towards the enormous lopsided pile of wood with windows on them and take her chance when something suddenly heavy fell on top of her.

"Shit!" she cried as she felt herself falling to the hard ground with something heavy but warm tumbling down on her. 

"Oh shit, what was that?"

It was a deep, male voice.

She looked up only to see a pair of glasses and a man's face looming on top of hers. When she felt the warmth of another foreign body against her, she looked away and felt herself blushing unexpectedly.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" Harry immediately cried out, realizing that he had actually landed on top of a woman. He stood up, looking a little bit flustered. "I didn't mean to—er— drop on you Ms. er—" he stopped as he automatically offered his hand to help her up as though it was the common thing to do. _"What's a strange woman doing here at a time like this?"_

Rebecca's eyes narrowed cautiously at first before finally deciding to take it. "I'm all right," she said standing up and immediately letting go of his hand. Then she turned to him sharply, her face emotionless. "Harry Potter."

Harry's eyebrows went up a surprised notch upon hearing his name from a woman he didn't even know, his glasses sparkling against the moonlight. "I don't recall seeing you before," he started politely. "I'm sure you will forgive me if I—"

"No, you haven't seen me before," interrupted Rebecca sharply. "I'm Rebecca Fairfax."

"O--oh, I see," Harry stammered back. He couldn't think of anything to do but to nod in acknowledgement. He was not entirely sure if shaking hands with her was quite all right at the time like this. "Well, it's nice to meet you— erm— Ms. Fairfax but," he stopped and looked at the Weasley's house rather awkwardly, "I'm really sorry but this is not a good time— perhaps some other time, I'd be—"

"Oh for the love of god, would you quit babbling," said Rebecca with crude impatience. _"Oh, so that's the house,"_ she thought, noting the look Harry gave the weird shaped edifice. At that, she gathered her skirts and walked past the stunned Harry Potter. "I'm sure you're here for the same reason! Let's go before everything's too late!" Then she stopped and gazed at the moon only to notice the thin red line forming a circular tier surrounding the moon's gleaming whiteness. _"Damn, it's nearly time!"_

She hastily continued on her way.

"Wait, wait, wait," Harry called out suddenly as he ran to catch up with her, quite taken aback by her outburst. "What do you mean about 'for the same reason?'" he asked, huffing and puffing beside her. Then he frowned suspiciously at her direction. "Do you know something about Draco and Ginny—," he winced and gulped momentarily, "Malfoy?" _There I finally forced the words out_, he thought, feeling a little sick. 

"Yes, and I have to get there before the Serpent's Bride does," she muttered without thinking. 

"Serpent's Bride?" echoed Harry but Rebecca ignored him as she continued on her way towards the Burrow. "What the hell is a Serpent's Bride? Hey! Rebecca!"

The woman finally stopped and turned to him, completely vexed. "Look, I have no such time to play a stupid question and answer game with you! If you really—" Just then, she stopped as a hot, burning sensation sparked at the back of her neck. Her hand instinctively went up to touch her stinging nape, her face wrinkling in pain. _"The eye's finally open," _she thought frantically. 

"Are you all right, Ms. Fairfax?" Harry asked quickly upon seeing her aching expression. He placed his arm over her shoulders agitatedly when he saw her bending down with the unknown pain. "Ms. Fairfax?" 

Rebecca took a deep breath as the burning sensation slowly ebbed away from her. "Yes, it's nothing," she replied, finally standing upright again, ignoring the lingering pain. "Let's go. I promise to explain everything later."

And before Harry could say anything, Rebecca quickly ran up to the house without waiting for him. "Hey!" he called out after her fleeing form. When she didn't stop, Harry found no choice but to run too, towards the house. 

When they finally reached the Burrow's backdoor, Rebecca took out her wand out and was about to mutter _Alohomora_ when they noticed it already open. Harry immediately shoved her behind him protectively while taking his wand out. Rebecca found herself frowning with the sudden but 'endearing' action.

"Malfoy!" Harry called out as he quickly kicked the doors open. He was about to call Draco's name again when he stopped abruptly at the sight that greeted him. 

Before him was a beat-up Malfoy, struggling to get up to his feet, his shirt torn, his face all bloody. His green eyes riveted towards the floor only to see Ron and Ginny lying there, unconscious while Hermione was curiously up into the air, holding her nape, her face scrunched in pain as well. His eyes then turned towards the center of all the chaos only to see a woman with fine blonde, tinsel-like hair standing there, laughing out with unhidden menace. He cried, "Malfoy! What's this—" 

Feeling another presence in the house, the woman turned around to face them. Then she smiled, clearly pleased. "Harry Potter!" she exclaimed shrilly. "Just the person I want to see!"

"What happened— Who--?" Harry immediately aimed his wand at her.

"No, Potter!" Draco yelled as he leaned helplessly onto an over-turned couch. Harry turned to him. "Magic won't work on her! She has a protective-reflective charm as well!"

Harry nodded, enlightened and but nevertheless, he didn't let his wand arm down. "Who the hell are you?" he asked instead.

Therese just laughed. "You'll soon find out," she replied saucily. She held her wand a little away from her face and muttered a faint _Appario_. 

Instantly, a gold chain materialized in the air. Harry, Rebecca and Draco looked on curiously only to notice its flat pendant. It was made of pure gold with ancient runes at its sides and a long, spherical glass orb in the middle. With the size of the thing, Draco assumed it to be an amulet and not a pendant. Then his eyes widened when he discerned a miniature smoky face inside it, looking just like Therese. He swallowed hard, his eyes traversing towards the laughing woman, gaping.

__

"A Soul Keeper!" his brain screamed. He knew what it was because his father used to have one. Every dark wizard had one!

Therese laughed and carefully slipped the gold chain around her delicate neck as though it was a jewel, an adornment, the enormous and ugly 'pendant' dangling heavily on her chest, a terrible clash with her dress robe. She turned to Harry and giggled. "After all, it's about time."

Rebecca, seeing the discord around her, immediately rushed inside and placed herself before Harry. "You will stop this nonsense, right now!" She yelled as she pointed her wand tip at the creature. "Everything's over," she stopped and took a deep, rasping breath, "Bianca!"

At the mention of the name, Draco's eyes widened disbelievingly. Surprisingly, he felt a strong blow inside his chest when the Bianca's name was brought up. Was he hearing right? "Bianca?" he asked, astounded. He looked at Rebecca then at Therese, obviously perplexed. "What's the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"My dear sister," the other woman began, delicately while ignoring everybody around them. "Just a few seconds from now, the moon will bleed and the process will be complete." Then her eyes surprisingly softened. She looked at Draco's puzzled face tenderly. "It won't be long now. I will be with him and he with me, just as He had promised."

Now Draco was really confused. One moment she was trying to kill him then the next, she was looking all mushy and sweet at him saying something about being with together with him or stuff like that. Was this really Bianca? Just what the freaking hell's this all about?

"And you actually believe him?" Rebecca asked dubiously. Therese turned her attentions back to her sharply and eyed her disagreeably. Seeing this, Rebecca gave a bitter laugh. "I can't believe you could be so stupid as to trust—"

"He gave his word!" she shouted back. "I will take her body and He will have the child!"

"And what makes you think that He will really keep his word?" Rebecca shot back defiantly. "He's totally evil! He's ruthless! He's just using you for a reason---"

'Therese' let out a horrifying, almost maddening scream. "Stop it!" she shrieked, stomping her foot like an angry child and madly tearing her hair. "Stop it!"

"What's this?" Harry asked. He turned to Draco only to see him stunned, his face having a dazed loon on them. He frowned and made his way towards the other man only to notice his eyes glazed. "Malfoy! Malfoy, snap out of it!"

__

"Bianca was the one trying to kill Ginny?" Draco thought as he listened at the interchanging conversation between the two women. He looked on, completely in a stupor, his face heavy with dispirited emotions and searing pain as though he was bearing the weight of the whole world upon his shoulders. _"But she's dead, right? I saw my father kill her. I saw the green flash of light going right through her body, taking her life. She couldn't possibly be back from the dead."_

Harry shook his head upon seeing Draco's reaction to this. "Malfoy, if you don't snap out of it, I will—"

"Everything is all planned out, can't you see? Nothing will stop us now!" Therese yelled, her face turning evil. 

"Not if I can help it!" Rebecca cried out furiously. She was about to cast something dreadful on her when, suddenly, the huge glass windows behind them began to crack. Moments later, it shattered with a loud, tremendous explosion. 

Harry instinctively ducked as shards of glass began flying everywhere. He swore out loud upon seeing Draco just standing there, not minding the small pieces of sharp glass blasting all around him. He finally blinked when one successfully lashed against his cheek, cutting it and making it bleed, a wake up call for him. 

"Blast it! Get down!" Harry yelled furiously as he pulled Draco down on the floor with him. Draco, finally stirred up, lifted up his hand and began wiping his bleeding cheek. He looked at his hand first only to see a red pungent liquid grazing the white skin of his hands. His eyes widened in wonder, turning to Harry silently. When Harry felt the other man's awed and curious stare, he turned to him, shaking his head disgustedly, while muttering, "Idiot."

Hearing the insult, Draco snapped back and frowned. He was about to utter something nasty in return when a sudden bright stream of white light began shooting down inside the house. Harry, Draco and Rebecca looked up only to see it coming from the sky, shutting them all up. Suddenly, a deep, hissing voice rang out inside the house. 

__

"Ennervate."

Instantly, Ginny's body began to stir. Then after a few seconds, she groggily stood up, her eyes half-closed. She turned to them only to see Harry and Draco standing up and Rebecca frantically looking around, no doubt searching for the voice. 

They all looked up only to realize that the voice was coming from Hermione, whom was looking at Ginny as though she was under some kind of trance. Her eyes were sharp, narrowed, her lips moving. She had her right hand held before her while muttering out words eerily, doing magic without the usual aid of a wand. Just then, the bright straight current of light parted, emanating a sharp, wheezing sound only to settle itself protectively around Hermione's and 'Therese's' bodies, surrounding them as if to shield them from any disturbances and interruption.

__

"Constringere!"

Instantaneously, Ginny found herself unable to move. It was as if her arms and legs are locked together! She stood there, eyes surprisingly drooping close, as still as a statue whereas Therese's face relaxed, eyes also slowly closing.

Just then, Hermione's lips began to move. Her eyes narrowing in concentration.

__

"De profundis, ad vivum…"

Draco immediately walked his way towards Ginny, ignoring the pain every step brought. He pursed his lips to keep himself from crying out loud when he felt his internal muscles twisting, screaming out their agony. He placed himself in front of her, protecting her, his right arm around her still and rigid body.

__

"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled as he pointed his wand tip against 'Therese.' Then much to his surprise, the hex bounced back. Luckily his reflexes were fast as he was able to swerve out the hex's way. It hit the unbroken window behind him instead, breaking it to pieces. "What the hell was that?" he shouted as he struggled up to his feet.

"I told you it won't work, you stubborn arse!" Draco growled at him angrily. He watched helplessly, furiously thinking of a way to save Ginny.

The hissing voice went on. 

__

"Ex alter idem, esto perpetua…"

"Well, can you think of anything better to do?" Harry spat back sarcastically. "At least I'm doing something unlike some other people I know!" 

"That's what I'm trying to do even before you came here you bastard!" Draco yelled back furiously. 

Rebecca, in turn, stood there silently, immune against the bickering of the two men and furiously thinking. Her eyes narrowed as she calculated the on going scene before her. 

__

"In corpore vili, post obitum…"

"Oh my god!" Harry cried out, looking at the two women before him. His jaw dropped unfashionably, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.

"What, Potter?" Draco demanded seeing the look of terror on Harry's face. As his reply, Harry pointed behind him. Draco turned around only to see Ginny's hazy essence slowly emerging from her physical form. She looked peaceful, her eyes closed as if asleep. He didn't know what it was. And it— terrified him. He couldn't do anything but to tighten his arms around hers even more and curse out, looking helpless as ever!

"Ginny!" Draco yelled, shaking her still body violently. He knew it was stupid but what was there to do? "Wake up! Snap out of it! Come on! Wake up!"

"Malfoy, look!" Harry shouted suddenly. 

Draco stopped abruptly and turned. Then much to their horror, a faint violet light shot up from the Therese's body. Just then, much to everybody's amazement, a hazy form floated up from the woman's rigid state. Draco's eyes widened as he recognized the pale cheeks, the violet pair of eyes that was looking at Ginny's still body with anticipation. Instantly, his heart gave a loud thud.

It was Bianca.

"Can't we stop Hermione from doing this?" Harry asked frantically, looking upwards only to see Hermione's eyes wide, having a demonic gleam on them. Damn! He couldn't possibly point his wand at her and shoot her, right? Who knows what it might do to her!

Rebecca shook her head, reading Harry's mind. "No, it's not Hermione, it's somebody else. It's somebody who wanted my twin sister alive in another body," she replied quickly. Then she shook her head, agitated. "We can't do anything about it, she gets her strength from the moon. I—"

"No!" Draco cried. "There must be a way!" Then against his will, he forcefully detached himself away from Ginny's motionless body and immediately made his way back towards Harry. "Okay, so we can't possibly wipe the moon out," said Draco his eyes darting around wildly, ignoring Bianca's and Ginny's soul, clearly in the process of interchanging. He bent down and picked his wand from the floor. "Let us combine our magic together to conjure up a Shield Charm." He turned to Harry. "Go and wake Weasley up."

Harry nodded, surprisingly trusting Draco's judgement.

"You think it wise?" asked Rebecca as she gripped her wand firmly while Harry immediately went to Ron's unconscious form and muttered out _Ennervate_.

Draco shook his head. "I don't know but it's worth a try, Rebecca," he replied truthfully. "I firmly believe that we can conjure a more powerful Shield Charm if we focus and combine all our magic together."

Rebecca looked at Therese then at Ginny. Seeing Draco's point, she finally nodded and placed herself beside Draco, her wand before her. And besides, she couldn't think of anything to do! So far, this was the only logical alternative they have. "All right," she said as she raised her wand. "Let's do it."

Draco nodded as he raised his as well.

"What happened?" Ron asked groggily while Harry helped him up.

Draco turned. "Oy, you two!" he called out. "Wands out!"

Hearing Draco's bossy but frantic voice, Ron still had the grace to frown irritably, if not stubbornly. "What the fuck—"

"Ron, shut up!" Harry interrupted as he too raised his wand. Then he turned to Ron whose eyes were wide with disbelief. "Trust me. Raise. Wand. Shield Charm. Got it?"

Ron stared at him first, completely taken aback. But finally seeing the urgent look Harry gave him and surveying his surroundings with his wife up into the air, muttering crazily, he finally heaved a sigh. "Fine, I'll trust you," he said while raising his wand as well. "You owe me, Harry."

__

"Ecce signum!" 

Bianca's eyes widened as it slowly pulled out its transparent body completely from its host's. Rebecca's pulse quickened nervously as she felt the strong adrenaline rush swiftly flowing in her veins. Therese's body, in turn, tumbled to the floor like a rag doll, useless and unconcsious.

"All ready?" Draco asked, bracing himself, seeing Ginny's soul lifting up fast from her body. 

Harry, Ron and Rebecca nodded and tightened their grips on their wands.

__

"Adorior! Adorior, Serpens Consortis!"

Something kicked inside Ginny's womb when the last words of the curse were uttered. She swallowed hard, still unable to move.

"Now!" Draco yelled.

__

"Defendre!"

Instantly, pale blue light shot out from the tips of their wands. It flew directly in front of Ginny, forming a thick, sturdy, glass-like barrier that stretched from the wall to her right to the other end of the room, from the ceiling to the floor, completely covering her.

Then, just like a flash of bright light, Bianca's essence shot out and zoomed purposely towards Ginny's rigid, stiff and 'soul-less' body. It slammed itself immediately against the protective barrier. When it felt the magic shield blocking its way, it gave an eerie cry of anguish as it forcefully tried to fight its way through it.

Draco winced as he tightened his grip on his wand even more, releasing more magic. It was surprisingly strong and he could feel it fighting against them. He heaved as he felt himself being drained, the strong flow of magic sweeping from his veins like a powerful current, gnawing out his energy. He was so sure that the others could feel it too for he could hear them gasping and huffing tiredly as well. 

"Too strong," muttered Ron as he felt his body burning up. Just then, much to their horror, a small gap became suddenly visible before their eyes. Draco, Harry, Rebecca and Ron watched in horror and amazement as a pale hand began fighting its way through their barrier. Just then, the tiny gap widened up till its whole arm passed through. Draco swore out loud and focused more of his energy, releasing more magic till he could feel himself weakening and falling apart!

__

"We won't make it," Rebecca thought frantically upon seeing her sister's transparent head already inside. _"I have to do something!"_ And with that, she threw her wand aside and without thinking, ran towards Ginny. She screamed out in pain as she forcefully fought her way inside the protective shield. 

Draco, upon seeing it, swore out loud and ran towards her. Ron finally fell on the floor, weak and drained while Harry put his wand arm down, heaving, the shield finally broken. 

Just then a shrill cry!

"Rebecca!" Harry yelled as he saw her throw herself before Ginny. She shoved Ginny out of the way, just in time to stop and catch Bianca's essence with her own body. Ginny, in turn, safely landed on Draco's arms, whose soul promptly slid back in her own body when it felt itself out of danger. "Rebecca!"

"Potter, Granger's falling!" Draco yelled out as he wildly scrambled around for his wand.

Harry immediately whirled around to see Hermione tumbling down from the ceiling, screaming fearfully. He quickly held his wand out and shouted, _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_ Hermione gave a surprised yelp as she herself floating, her fall breaking just in time before she hit the hard floor.

__

"Finite Incantatem," Draco muttered as he flicked his wand against her body and waited. 

Instantly, Ginny's eyes began to blink. Then she slowly opened her mouth, "Draco," she whispered weakly. Draco only smiled as his reply.

"What happened?" Hermione demanded shrilly as her feet finally touched the ground. She ignored the subtle burning sensation plaguing her nape. "What did I do? Did I do something horrid? What happened?" she pressed, her eyes wide with horror at the thought of doing something stupidly evil. 

"Long story, just revive Ron," replied Harry as he turned back towards Rebecca. Then his eyes widened only to see the black-haired woman writhing and rasping. She was growling and shouting at herself, tearing at her hair, as if being possessed by something evil. He looked at Draco and Ginny only to see them also staring and gaping in horror.

"Rebecca!" Harry yelled and without thinking of what might happen to him, he threw his arms around her, pinning her arms against her side with his. "You stop it this instant!" he yelled as he tried suppressing the wild woman who was yelling and fighting to get free from his grasp. "Rebecca, wake up!" And with that, Harry slapped the woman hard across the face.

Feeling the stinging pain against her cheek, Rebecca finally stopped moving.

Harry frowned, his arms not leaving hers. "Rebecca?" he gently inquired seeing her passive face in front of him. 

She opened her eyes. Then to everybody's astonishment, her face underwent another set of transformation. Surprisingly, her purple eyes became soft, her whole feature yielding. The hint of darkness completely eradicated only to replaced by peaceful radiance. It was as if she had just woken up after a long sleep full of nightmares and horrible dreams imaginable. Harry loosened his arms around her, unsurely at first, when he felt her already calm and passive, her body turning around to face Draco. 

She smiled. "Forgive me, Draco," she said softly, her voice tender. "What I did, I did only for you."

"Bianca?" Draco gasped out, shaking his head slowly, Ginny resting against his arms, looking so weak and pale. "Why—"

"I was angry," she replied. Then she turned to the red-haired woman resting against his arms momentarily. Ginny met her eyes, stare for stare. The red-head bit her lip, not sure of what to do or say. Seeing that, Bianca nodded considerately, her eyes conveying unhidden acceptance— and pain. "But now I understand everything." With that, she gave them one last and peaceful smile before closing her eyes, a sign of letting go. Then before them, a soft, transparent form floated up from Rebecca's body. Just then, a loud and horrifying laugh rang inside the house. Draco looked up only to a jet of bright death-green light zooming towards Bianca's spirit.

__

"You foolish girl! Now you will be annihilated, along with the others!"

"That voice," thought Draco fearfully. He swallowed hard. He knew that voice anywhere! He grew up with that voice! Painful memories immediately whirled inside his head as he saw the scenes of his life before him. It was so clear, so fresh. He shut his eyes painfully, breathing hard. _"How could I even forget the voice that haunted me until now?"_

"Draco!" Ginny called out, straightening up. It was beyond doubt that Ginny felt his inner struggles. She knelt before him, facing him. "Draco, please—" she pleaded as her hands flew up to cup his face. "You're not like him, do you understand? You're far more different from him!"

Draco just stared at her blankly. Surprisingly, he couldn't see anything but a dark room and two tall figures. There were a lot of screaming and crying. It was his mother… she was crying… and his father… His lower lip trembled as he saw the scenes before him. His father slapped his mother… and he was laughing…

"Draco!" Ginny cried as she felt the overpowering presence of the Dark Arts looming all around them. She shook him gently, afraid. "Please, wake up."

Just then, he saw her face… then light… 

He blinked. 

Hearing Ginny's fierce voice and feeling the tender caress of her hands, he finally snapped out. He blinked his eyes again, furiously focusing them only to see a clueless Harry and the stunned Rebecca standing on the eerie light's way. "Potter! Look out!"

Harry whipped his head around only to see the green light speeding towards them. Then without a moment's hesitation, he pushed Rebecca to the floor and threw himself on her protectively. Draco, in turn, shoved Ginny behind him, covering her with his body as the green light slammed itself against Bianca's spirit, who in turn, welcomed it warmly and with open arms.

Then a flash of blinding green light surrounded them, flowing around inside house.

A sound of glass breaking, an amulet being broken in two.

Ron immediately put his arms around his wife as Hermione cowered towards him fearfully.

__

"Oh God help us!" Ginny prayed silently as she felt the couches rattling and shaking wildly around them. Glasses began to shatter as the walls began to groan with the force of the powerful light. It was as if an explosion was bound to happen, strong enough to wipe them off entirely. She gasped as she felt heavy Dark Magic in the air, heard heavy and ghastly set of wailing everywhere. It was struggling, fighting with each other and she could feel it, much more than the others. She pressed her body against Draco's closer. If they were to die right now, then she would have to die close to him. Draco, in turn, felt her fear as he tightened his arms around her even more, waiting for the inevitable: death. _"Help us!"_

Then, in a split second, everything went silent.

Ginny tightened her arms about Draco as she waited for the pain. When nothing came, she frowned. She slowly opened her eyes only to see shimmering bits of light falling all around them. "What the--," She looked up only to see nothing but the bare ceiling. No light, no explosion and, no spirit or whatsoever. She disentangled herself from Draco, her eyes wide with wonder. _"We're alive?" _she thought, seeing Harry, his glasses already broken, standing up, looking up as well and Ron slowly looking around, checking if everything was already over. She lightly pinched her arm, touched her dirt-stained lilac dress expecting her hand to go right through it... but her skin felt the soft fabric. She looked up in amazement. _"We're alive!"_

"What was that?" Ron asked finally amidst the bright snow-like dots falling all around them. He stood up and helped Hermione up as well. He turned around only to see Therese's face stirring, her eyebrows frowning. "Is it over?" he added.

"Bianca," uttered Rebecca, her eyes blank. "Bianca…"

Just then, the door suddenly burst open. Draco looked up only to see Terrence Higgs and several other Aurors standing and fussing behind him.

"I'm sorry I'm late," said Terrence as he made his way inside. "I just got back from Ireland, from the Ministry Convention and—" He stopped and looked around only to notice everything in disarray. Windows shattered, couches over-turned, everything broken--- He looked down only to see a number of six pale, bloody and weakened wizards all struggling to get up. 

Terrence Higgs took a deep, horrified breath.

"I'm really terribly sorry I'm late."

==========

"I sure hope that Therese will be all right," quipped Harry as they settled themselves inside the already fixed living room, sipping mugs of hot chocolate with thick blankets over their shoulders, their faces and bodies already healed by the Ministry Wizard Medics. 

It was already five in the morning, near to sunrise. The Aurors were finally through investigating and double-checking everything inside and out of the house, casting Reversing Spells and Charms to drive away whatever Dark Magic was left behind. They took the now-conscious and terrified Therese with them for further questioning and of course, for a thorough 'fixing' up. 

He looked across from him only to see Ron fussing about his wife after having a word with Higgs, his deputy. Then he turned to his left only to see Ginny, whom emerged from the bathroom looking absolutely radiant and glowing despite of last night's events. She was actually looking a little smug as though she knew something, if he was not mistaken, when she sat down to join them. She placed herself beside Rebecca whom was silently brooding about what happened, sitting on a couch a little away from his left. 

His brows furrowed. For the first time, out of the rubble and the chaos, he finally noticed how pretty Rebecca was. Damn, I can't believe that, a while ago, I was literally on top of a beautiful woman, he thought, his eyes traversing from her face to her pleasant figure. He swallowed hard and decided to focus his attentions to Draco instead whom was currently standing by the doorway, having a last minute talk with Terrence Higgs, looking so very tired and drained. Terence, on the other hand, was busy nodding and looking at a broken glass amulet in his hands, his face set in mild concentration.

"Oh, I'm sure everything will be all right with Therese," replied Hermione as she lifted her own mug. She paused for a while and took a tiny sip of the delicious and sweet drink. "A strong Memory Charm will be used, of course and before she knows it, she'll be sent back to her Muggle home completely oblivious about what just happened," she continued after smacking her lips. "That's how we usually work, Harry."

Ginny's face fell. "Has word been sent to Mum and Dad?" she finally asked not looking up. Harry's face softened upon seeing her crestfallen expression, the radiance he saw earlier completely wiped out. He was sure that the whole mortifying experience left her terribly shaken until now. After all, Ginny was the most sensitive one when it came to Dark Magic. Recovering from that would take her at least another week.

"Yes," replied Ron testily. "I've received their letter. They said they'll be back tomorrow."

"I just don't get it though," started Hermione as Draco finally shook hands with Terrence saying his thanks and farewells and finally decided to join them. The moment Ginny felt Draco's presence, her heart gave a loud panicked but excited thud. Hermione stopped abruptly upon feeling the awkward atmosphere in the air. She looked up only to see Ginny blushing madly and Draco looking very uneasy and unsure. She cleared her throat noisily. Seeing everybody too preoccupied with their own thoughts, Hermione decided to take some action. "Won't you have a seat, Malfoy?" she offered neutrally, looking up at him with raised eyebrows.

"I'll stand up, thank you," he replied stiffly as he positioned himself behind the wall just a little away from where Harry was sitting. He leaned casually towards it, his arms crossed, his silver eyes boring through anything but Ginny.

Ginny, in turn, tried her best not to look disappointed. She turned away and fixed her gaze on Hermione instead, busily ignoring and sorely pretending not to care if Draco should decide to stand or suddenly do a series of cartwheels before them.

"What kind of a woman was your sister, anyway?" Hermione asked Rebecca gently. "According to Ginny, she was a cat, her cat, at that. Then after a moment she became Therese and then Ginny and almost everybody in here. She's not an Animagus, is she?"

"No," Rebecca finally replied. Then she took a deep breath, settling her clear purple eyes on the ceiling. "Do you know Proteus?" she asked suddenly. 

"No," Ron immediately replied. He didn't particularly like thinking and boggling his mind in the midst of an explanation, actually.

Harry just shrugged and fixed his newly-repaired glasses on the Rebecca's face instead while Hermione just sat there and waited patiently, the thirst to know something new clearly visible on her face.

"He's a Greek sea god capable of telling the past, the present and the future," replied Draco unfeelingly. "He was—"

"He had the ability to change shape, any shape he wished," said Ginny at the same time. Then she immediately stopped and bit her lip.

Rebecca nodded, quite impressed. "You know you're Mythology very well," she said. At that, Ron gave out a disgusted kind of snort while Hermione nodded in earnest. "You see, my sister and I are born with— different abilities." 

Ginny frowned. "Like you were born to read minds while Bianca was born to be—" She stopped abruptly. Come to think of it, they were actually dealing with someone dangerous here. Rebecca's mind-reading and penetration ability proved to be dangerous because she could easily drive you mad if she suddenly wished to. At that, she swallowed hard.

"She's a Protean?" Harry asked with wonder, breaking her thoughts. "But that was—," He broke off and shook his head. "They say it's only a legend. There's no known wizard who could do magic like that, right? I thought it's—"

"It's not magic," said Draco quietly, his arms not leaving his chest. "It's an ability. It's an inborn ability. _Alius Corporis._ Not many wizards are born with that gift."

"To tell you honestly, I really don't know where to start," said Rebecca, her face falling. She shook her head slowly. "I don't even know how to explain everything."

"Then tell us right from the beginning," suggested Ron. He stood up and made his way towards the fireplace, putting more wood. "It won't hurt to start all over, right?"

Rebecca stared at the eager and curious faces first before finally nodding agreeably. "My sister and I were born when the moon was it's highest," she began in a hushed voice. "Blood Moon, most evil wizards would call it."

"So that's why she got her unusual strength from the moon," said Harry thoughtfully, remembering the unusual burst of powerful energy coming from the sky a while ago.

"Could be," Rebecca replied, nodding slowly. "You see, Virginia had her accidents just last year, yes? Well, using the Seth Calendar, the Blood Moon will fall on three nights. In our case, two consecutive nights and another night, which we all know, was just a while ago. As you may have noticed, Virginia's near-to-death experiences fell during the Blood Moon except the one in the carriage," she explained.

Ron frowned. "I don't see the point of using Seth or Egyptian calendar or whatsoever in the story, actually," he said as he took a seat beside his wife.

Hermione shooed him away. "That's the calendar most evil wizards use, Ron," she hissed with embarrassment. "You're an Auror, for goodness sake!"

"Well, I'm sorry for being human," Ron shot back sarcastically.

"I really thought that using Egyptian calendars are already obsolete," said Harry after a moment, ignoring Ron and Hermione's stony faces.

Rebecca shook her head. "No, believe it or not, most evil wizards still use them. They're quite useful and more accurate."

"Why Bianca?" Draco asked quietly. 

At that, the black-haired woman took a deep breath. "Bianca was a Protean when she was still alive. Actually, Voldemort foresaw everything and had already made plans. It included me and my sister in it." She paused momentarily. "My parents were Death Eaters but they were different. Actually, the Fairfaxes are known for being the pioneers of evil wizardry but my parents wished to put a stop to that. They wanted to live a decent life."

Draco, Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione fixed their eyes on her while listening attentively, hanging on her words. Seeing the attentive audience, Rebecca cleared her throat. "I may have mentioned something about Serpent's Bride, yes?" She looked expectantly at Harry.

Harry nodded. "Yes, a while ago," he replied.

"Well, that's it. My sister was supposed to be the Serpent's Bride. It was foretold," Rebecca supplied. "Apparently Voldemort saw everything. You see how powerful he is? He saw his downfall, his defeat He's evil, yes, but he's also clever. I'm not really sure if almost all of the Death Eaters were aware of his plans."

"I don't get it," said Ron after a moment of pondering. "You're saying he's still at large today? What's the Serpent's Bride? What importance does it have for Voldemort?"

"That I can assure you," she said while shaking her head. "As long as he has all his followers alive, serving and supporting him, we cannot entirely defeat him. That's the sad reality of it. And believe me when I say that he has still dozens of them. Isn't it that you haven't found his body when the Dark Sorcerer's war came to an end?" Then Rebecca pursed her lips. When everybody fell silent at this, she decided to speak again. "Have anybody of you heard about Loki and Sigyn of the Norse Legend?"

"The Norse gods punished Loki by placing a serpent above his head," replied Draco thoughtfully, reiterating everything he had read. "Sigyn, his wife came to help him by taking her place at his side, bearing a cup, catching the venom with it." Then he stopped abruptly, his eyes widening as he looked at Ginny. Good lord! Everything was falling into place! Then it was Ginny? She was—

"Voldemort wanted to have a wife but unlike Loki, he would use his bride in order to free himself from eternal damnation," explained Rebecca, her voice testy. "And that would be Bianca, my sister."

"But how?" Harry asked, getting confused by the minute. "And, good god! They're just legends! Surely you don't actually believe that—"

"Ah yes, legends," Rebecca interrupted, turning her eyes back to Harry's green ones. "But you do know that when used with proper and powerful magic, legends can be brought to life, don't you? After all, our magic, everything we have, I mean, a bigger percent of what we wizards do was all derived from legends, you know."

Hermione nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes indeed," she gushed, her eyes wide with wonder. Then she frowned. "So why was Voldemort in need of a wife?" 

"Do you think that Voldemort did nothing in order to come up with those kind of powers?" Rebecca asked instead, smirking. Then she shook her head and looked straight at Harry. "He was greedy, he was obsessed, he wanted to become the most powerful wizard, he wanted everybody to be afraid of him. That's why, still not losing hope, he made a deal with the Supreme Evil after you defeated him the second time around."

"And the deal was—" Harry prodded encouragingly.

"Blood of his blood," replied Rebecca with a straight face, "flesh of his flesh. That's the only thing they were asking for."

"And Bianca was supposed to be the one to give him a child," Hermione continued, feeling terrible by the minute.

"But Lucius killed the wrong twin, as you can see it," concluded Rebecca, her voice bitter. "When Voldemort felt that my family's about to turn their back on him and go to hiding, he had ordered his Death Eaters to wipe them off except Bianca. He ordered Lucius to bring my sister to him. I suppose, he was thinking that he killed me but the truth of the matter was he killed Bianca." She turned to Draco. "He was planning to stage Bianca's death using me in front of you, I reckon. For you to think that it was Bianca therefore building up your hate, the first step towards the Dark Arts." Then she smirked. "But then again, he was a blundering idiot." 

At that, Draco felt himself getting furious by the minute. He tiredly massaged the bridge of his nose. Curse his father for ruining his life, for ruining everybody's life! Curse him for everything! _"I hope you rot in hell, father!"_ his brain screamed. _"I hope you rot in hell!"_

"Of course, Voldemort was angry when he heard of Lucius' stupidity," Rebecca continued on, tearing her gaze away from Draco. "In order to get everything right, he ordered Lucius to make him a charmed vial, before it's too late, trapping my sister's soul into it. Then using Bianca's anger, he made a deal with her."

"She wanted to get my body to be with Draco," whispered Ginny to no one in particular. "She wanted to be with him that's why she—"

"But why wait for the moon to bleed?" asked Hermione suddenly.

"The Serpent's Bride will be born on a Blood Moon. She has to be. That was a fact," Rebecca answered. "But as to why she should be born on a Blood Moon, I don't know. Even I was baffled about this but then, in time, I'm fairly sure that we would find the answers to this—," She broke off only to gaze at the sky already turning a light shade of pink. "Blood on the Moon, in case you don't know, symbolizes death and rebirth," she continued. Then she shook her head. "Bianca's spirit somehow got inside Therese's body but Voldemort somehow found a way to retain her ability. She used Therese's body for a while but she couldn't last in a human body for long that's why she killed your cat and copied its form." 

"How was it even possible?" Ron started, more confused than ever. "I— I mean is it possible for Therese to host two souls in one body then? And what about Hermione? Don't tell me that Voldemort used her body!"

Rebecca sighed. "Have you seen the broken amulet one of the Aurors found on the floor after the confrontation?" she asked. When everybody decided to keep silent, she continued on. "That was a Dark Artifact, a Soul Keeper. Dark Wizards often use it to trap another one's soul temporarily into it. You see, witches and wizards are not born with the same talents and abilities. Dark Wizards, however, use it for them to be able to use a particular talent found in another wizard if necessary. Naturally, the tendency is for them to transfer their soul into another wizard and perform the evil deed. I firmly believe that it was used to keep Therese's soul temporarily inside it so that Bianca can make use of her body." She stopped, inhaling fresh air. "As for Hermione, I'm not really sure but I'm positive that a Soul Keeper wasn't used. I think it's more of a dark enchantment or something like that." She shrugged. "We'll know more about it in time," she continued, blinking her eyes rapidly. "You see, it's much easier for proteans to copy animal form than human form. When properly trained, they will be able sustain a longer resistance to copy a human body but as you can see my sister wasn't even trained to use it properly."

"How did it even enter Malfoy Manor to copy the Ginny's cat?" asked Ron, his face turning grim. Hermione frowned at him upon noticing him sporting another one of his ridiculous 'poker face' looks whenever he was interrogating petty criminals and dark wizards alike back at Headquarters. But then again, she found it sweet... well, almost cute in an odd and sort of bizarre way. "How was it possible?"

"The Engagement Party," replied Rebecca promptly.

Draco perked up when he heard this. "You mean to say that woman I talked to wasn't you?" he asked, astounded. "It was Bianca using Therese's body transforming into you?"

Rebecca nodded. "Yes, very clever don't you think?" Then she turned to Ginny. "When I heard about it, I became suspicious of everything. That's why I decided to keep a closer look on you, Virginia. I hope I didn't scare you off when we met accidentally in Hogsmeade." Then she looked at Harry, Ron and Hermione quizzically. "Access was granted so she killed the cat. Of course she couldn't afford to have a replica of the animal itself, right? That would be really stupid. That's why she killed it, copied it and pretended to be Ginny's pet."

"Why Therese?" Harry interjected suddenly. 

"Therese is a Muggle, an easy prey for any wizard," answered Rebecca knowingly and with a straight face. "She lives in a Muggle settlement making it all the more perfect." She shook her head and let out a light, almost inaudible snort. "You see, Muggles are so stubborn! They don't believe in magic even if it was right under their noses. Naturally, it was easy access for them since Muggles couldn't detect Evil Wizard Activity that easily." 

Harry nodded. "I see," he murmured, realizing her point. He didn't particularly have a hard time believing her theory upon remembering how the Dursleys would often scoff the very idea of magic being possible. Wasn't it that they deemed him abnormal? 

"So Voldemort was in on this too? Sort of Bianca's accomplice maybe?" Ron asked quietly. He just can't believe that Voldemort was still alive even though barely! 

As her reply, Rebecca's eyes riveted towards Draco's thoughtful face. She looked at him narrowly, almost accusingly but reluctantly. Draco seemed too oblivious of what was happening since he chose to remain silent, his span of attention elsewhere. Ron was busy debating whether he should send Dumbledore an owl about this while Hermione was busy pondering about what happened, quite horrified at that thought of facing the Dark Lord one more time. Harry, in turn, noticed Rebecca. He turned to Draco then back at Rebecca again, his face inquiring, expecting. He knew Rebecca knew something. Her narrowed eyes told it all. 

Ginny chose to remain silent at this, deaf to the voices around her. She was too busy thinking of Bianca and the almost inhuman thing she did. _All this trouble for that_, she thought. _"Bianca must really love Draco," _she surmised. The woman practically moved heaven and earth just to be with him! Would she be able to do the same for him? Then she looked up only to see him silently thinking on the corner, his 'already-fixed' face set grimly, his eyes tired but nevertheless sparkling. Her face softened as a gentle smile grazed her lips. 

__

"I couldn't blame her," she thought as she looked at him, standing there, memorizing every form of his body. For the first time in her life, she had never seen him looking so beautiful. _"She saw something in him that other people failed to see."_

"So what now?" her heart asked. When Draco looked up only to see her staring at him, Ginny immediately turned away, her face flushing hotly. 

__

"What do you mean by 'what now?'" she hissed furiously. 

__

"You have to tell him, you know."

"The hell I'll do that especially now," she answered back. _"I'm not sure of what he feels about me anymore. After all, I suspected him, ran away from him, put his life in danger…I nearly killed him, you know! How could I ever face him now?"_

And with that last thought, Ginny abruptly stood up and made her way outside, leaving them curiously staring after her. 

==========

Draco stood there, not sure of what to do. _What did I do this time?"_ his insides screamed. _"I just looked at her!"_ Then it made him somewhat smile. Ginny was actually staring at him. And she was blushing. Why?

His eyes followed her departing form longingly. Should he go after her? Should he follow her? Should he tell her what he felt? But then—

__

"How can I?" he asked himself, hearing the door shutting behind her. He swallowed hard and instead, he focused his attentions back at the remaining people in front of him, conversing. 

Just then, he met Harry's eyes.

He frowned.

__

"What the hell are you doing standing there?" Harry hissed, looking at Draco sharply. He gestured his head towards the door and turned back to him meaningfully, the thoughts about asking what Rebecca's 'secret' was, temporarily forgotten. When Draco stubbornly shook his head, Harry frowned incredelously and cried out, "Malfoy?"

"Oh shut it, Potter!" growled Draco sulkily. He knew what Harry was thinking of.

"Fine! I'll shut up!" Harry growled back, much to the surprise of the three people sitting before him. Just then, he stood up. "I'll go if you don't want to!"

At that, Draco threw his hands up into the air as he finally detached himself from the wall, the thought of Potter being alone with his wife sending another set of boiling jealousy within him. "Bloody hell!" he cried out as he stomped his way out of the living room, leaving the confused group before him. 

Harry shook his head and sat back down once again, finally satisfied upon hearing the loud, angry bang of the kitchen door around them. He looked at Ron, his eyebrows raised questioningly. "You were saying something?" he asked mildly as if nothing was amiss.

Ron cleared his throat. "Right," he murmured. Then he turned to Rebecca. "How did you know all of this, Rebecca?" he asked after hearing everything, trying his best to suppress the itch to stand up and follow Malfoy, who, no doubt, was on his way to his sister. Well, he was about to, actually but after earning a reproachful look from Hermione, he decided not to. 

Rebecca, in turn, shrugged. "I was part of the Resistance Movement during the war," she replied simply. "And— having her essence in me, even for a short period of time, I was able to search her mind and those are the things I learned." 

"So it wasn't just about—uh--," Ron stopped, his eyebrows crinkling with embarrassment, "love?" he asked a little uneasily. When Rebecca's brows went up a notch, he cleared his throat. "About your twin sister, I mean," he added quickly.

The purple-eyed woman turned suddenly thoughtful. "I don't know," she replied slowly. "Maybe it was about love, for Bianca, that is. But there are other things--- other compelling forces. For once, I'm sure the main reason why Voldemort wanted her alive was because he needed her. I'm fairly positive, though, that he was just using her, using her anger, striking a deal with her but leaving her with empty promises. That was how he usually worked." 

"Where's her soul now?" Hermione asked gently.

Rebecca shook her head while turning away bitterly. "I have no idea," she finally said, the ache clear in her voice. "I don't know where souls who had associated themselves in something evil go. She will just-- disappear, I reckon."

At that, Hermione's face saddened as she felt the other woman's obvious pain. "I'm sorry, Rebecca," she said softy. 

Harry's ears suddenly perked up when he heard this, the deal about Ginny and Draco completely forgotten.

"Of course, those part of the movement were commissioned to be always on the look-out for anything suspicious," supplied Rebecca while standing up, dropping the subject about her sister. "As long as the Patronus eye doesn't disappear, we can't rest." And with that, she took her wand out and was about to disapparate when Harry suddenly called him.

"You have the Patronus eye as well?" he asked, standing up abruptly. 

Rebecca just stared at him.

"Wait, Rebecca! I need to ask you something I—"

The beautiful woman, for the first time, granted him the most beautiful smile he could ever dream of. It lit her whole face up, making her deep violet eyes sparkle out a light purplish hue. Her cheeks were rosy and her hair, gleaming with health against the early morning rays of the sun behind her. Harry's heart gave a sudden thud, he felt his face warming up.

"Don't worry, Harry," she said in her sultry voice. "I'll stick around."

And with that, she flicked her wand against her and disappeared from his sight, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione staring after her empty spot. Just then, Ron let out a low whistle.

"She's something else, Harry," he said while shaking his head and looking at his bestfriend's flustered face.

==========

__

"Stupid Potter!" Draco swore as he made his way towards the Burrows' backyard. He kicked a pebble that greeted his way as he casually slid his hands inside his pockets. _"I can't believe I let myself be bullied into this! Dammit!"_ Just then, the series of curses abruptly stopped swimming inside his brain upon seeing a dainty woman sitting on top of an enormous rock just under a large tree, thinking. His pulse suddenly quickened, not sure if he should go to her or not. 

She was looking at the rising sun, her face softly being illuminated by the delicious warmth of the early morning sky. She wasn't aware that she was being observed. Just then, a soft breeze blew at her and he saw her tenderly hold her hair with her hand, tucking a stray lock behind her ear. His breath suddenly got caught in his throat. She never looked so beautiful, so vulnerable… 

Just then, she turned around and saw him gaping at her. Draco immediately cleared his throat and fixed a frown on his face while taking his hand off and raking his fingertips against his hair impatiently. He saw no other choice but to walk towards her.

"Hey," she greeted softly, unsurely, as he placed himself beside the rock. She turned away from him and focused her attentions back at the rising sun.

"Hey," he greeted back, sliding his left hand inside his pocket once again.

Just then, silence.

Draco nonchalantly brought his eyes on the rising sun as well as if it was something interesting to watch. After a moment of awkward silence, he finally cleared her throat.

"Are you feeling all right?" Draco asked instead. As a man, he should be the one to strike a conversation first, right?

"Yes, thank you," replied Ginny, refusing to look at him. "And you?"

"Oh I'm fine," he replied smoothly. "Thanks for asking."

Another awkward silence fell on them.

__

"Damn it! Say something!" Draco heard his heart scream.

Ginny swallowed hard, her eyes blinking more rapidly. Just then, she decided to speak. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused, Draco," she said softly, without looking at him. She kept her eyes directly at the sun, blinking them rapidly. "I'm sorry for even suspecting you of something horrible."

"No, its nothing," he replied automatically. "I should be the one to say sorry, actually."

"No!" Ginny replied quickly, looking at him. Draco turned to her, his eyebrows raised. The moment Ginny saw his face looking at her up close, she blushed like a silly school girl. "I— I mean, if it wasn't for my stubbornness this wouldn't have happened."

When Draco just fell silent at this, Ginny shook her head and stood up. "I'd better get going," she said while straightening her skirts. Then she looked away, her lower lip quivering. _"He's not feeling the same way,"_ her brain said. Pain immediately wrenched her heart. "I have— I have to have a brief word with Ron and—" she stopped and took a deep breath. She was making a fool of herself and she knew it. _"Quit babbling!"_ her brain screamed. She gulped. "Well, goodbye." She turned around and was about to make her way back towards the house, when—

"Ginny."

She stopped. "Yes?" she squeaked, turning back at him once again.

Draco stared at her, unable to say anything. Why did he call her anyway? He blinked his eyes rapidly and swore at himself mentally. He was well aware that she was waiting and— Damn! He had never felt this with other women before!

"Please don't go," he blurted out without thinking. 

Ginny stared at him, her eyes wide.

At that, Draco took a deep breath. He walked towards and took her shoulders by his hands, his head shaking from side to side. "I don't want you to go, Ginny," he said softly. "I don't know why— I just—"

Ginny shook her head. "Draco, I—"

"Ginny look," he cut in gently. He knew he was babbling but he didn't care! He had to tell her everything! "I don't know anything anymore. I'm not exactly sure of what to say to you. I don't know what you— feel for me but," he stopped and let his eyes graze over her face.

Ginny blushed furiously upon noting the look he gave her. Her pulse quickened, her breathing rapid… 

"All I know is," he paused and swallowed hard, not sure of whether to go on with it or not. He took a deep, nervous breath. _"I can't do it!"_ he said to himself. He was about to shake his head and walk away when he heard a tiny but strong voice coming from the back of his head.

__

"Say what you feel, you moron!" his brains hissed furiously. _"It's about time you stop being a fucking wussy, Malfoy!"_

"But I—"

"Don't you dare let her walk away from you again because if she does, then this time around, I assure you it would be forever, Draco," it reminded him willfully. _"This is your only chance!"_

His face softened. _"Right." _He swallowed hard and opened his mouth. "All I know is-- when I look at you, I-- I feel stronger and weaker at the same time. I feel so excited but also terrified. I feel happy but scared, scared about something that I've never felt with someone before. It's like you've done or— or practically reached for the unreachable and you aren't all ready for it and I never felt so damn terrified all my life! I just —"

Ginny's eyes widened with disbelief, her lower lip immediately trembled as her heart gave a sudden leap with the words. She felt her eyes already moistening with tears. Was she hearing right? This wasn't a dream, wasn't it? 

Draco heaved, all the burning emotions he had kept deep inside of him, pouring out uncontrollably, the words coming out strongly. He was speaking not through his mouth but through his heart. He was saying things from his soul and not from his mind. It was amazing and terrifying at the same time, plunging into something he wasn't entirely sure of, risking everything he had, everything he felt... He never risked anything in his whole damn twenty-two years of existence. He was always sure, so certain about everything! 

Until now.

"When you— when you smile or-- or laugh or just simply stare at me with your brown eyes, I knew-- I knew, at that moment, that I wanted to be somebody else," he paused, breathing deeply. "I want to be better man," he stopped and stared at her, locking her eyes with his. "That is the only thing that I feel for you, Ginny." 

Ginny let out a bittersweet smile. "That is the most beautiful thing I've heard," she whispered.

Draco shook his head. "Not as beautiful as you." And with that, not sure of what to say anymore, he pulled the shocked Ginny to him, enclosing her in his embrace only to feel her body stiffening with surprise. He heard her soft gasp. He felt her eyes blinked, her long eyelashes brushing the skin of his neck gently. "I don't want to lose you," he whispered in her ear, his voice heavy with intense longing and burning passion that shook Ginny completely, body and soul. 

At that, Ginny closed her eyes and felt herself bursting into tears. She buried her face against his chest, her heart shouting out unspoken happiness, her chest constricting with delicious pain. Her body softened as she felt herself giving into his strong but warm touch. She raised her arms and tightened them around him.

"I need you, Ginny."

She slowly lifted her face from his chest and stared at him, her arms not leaving his neck. She just-- stared. "Why?" she finally asked softly.

Draco let his eyes travel momentarily around her face before whispering intensely.

"Because I love you."

At that, Ginny's lower lip began to tremble as another set of fresh tears fell from her eyes. She slowly detached herself from his embrace only to look up at him fixedly, searchingly, not saying anything. He knew she was prying inside him, reading his soul and he stared back at her, wordlessly letting her in and baring his naked soul in front of her. 

She noticed nothing but sweet silence. But then, in that silence, the unusual sparkle of his eyes conveyed all the truthfulness of the words he had just uttered, so sure, without a mixture of doubt or fear or falsity in them. He was not shutting her out anymore like he used to back then. What he said a while ago was no match for what she was seeing in his eyes right now... It was a look that told her forever... she smiled, having no second thoughts.

"I love you too, Draco."

Hearing that, Draco smiled and immediately pulled her to him. Ginny laughed softly through her tears but then the laughter stopped when she felt his soft lips landing on hers. She sighed when she felt his hands going on about her waist, pulling her closer, demanding more. Ginny responded with the same feeling of urgency and hunger. She gasped as the familiar white hot blade of pleasure sliced within her. She eagerly opened her lips when she felt his tongue pushing through, seeking conquest just like he used to. But then, that's where the similarities end… 

It was a different kiss. It was a kiss that shouted out several things, happy things mostly. He was not just kissing her, he was pouring out everything, every feeling, every emotion, every ounce of his being into her. It was beyond lust. It was beyond love. It was something deeper, more intense that she was so sure that her chest would go bursting out with unexplained happiness. There was a luscious but fervent ache inside her that was begging to be filled, to be satisfied. She tightened her arms around him, pressing herself closer to his, moving her lips rapidly to keep up with his hunger, wanting to taste every drop of his passion, a perfect match for her own. How could something as simple as this could make her weak and trembling? How could something as gentle and as tender as this could also be intense and extreme at the same time? 

She tightened her arms around his neck, giving her everything to him just as he was giving his everything to her. She smiled when Draco groaned out his pleasure. Just then, she remembered something. Ever so gently, she broke the kiss, her lips parting from his deliciously, her knees buckling. Heavens above! She was already turning into a human jelly!

"Why-- why did you kiss me five years ago?" she asked suddenly, her arms not leaving his neck. Her voice was coming out in a gasp as she leaned on his shoulders for support. She looked at him, her eyes half-lidded.

Draco frowned. "When I caught you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ginny nodded. "Yes."

He frowned wonderingly. "Well," he looked away thoughtfully. Then he grinned sheepishly at her. "To tell you honestly, I don't know," he shrugged, "that seemed to be the only good thing to do at that time, actually."

At that, Ginny frowned at him and lightly punched his chest with her little fist. Draco laughed as he snatched her hand in his. "Hey, I'm only joking!" he exclaimed, chuckling. Then his face turned serious. "You looked beautiful at that time and I just had to kiss you. I can't explain it, to tell you honestly." Then he planted a kiss on her nose. "That kiss changed my life, you know," he whispered tenderly. He was about to bring his lips on hers once again, when Ginny placed her hands on his chest, stopping him.

"That's not all," she said, shaking her head.

"Aw, Ginny come on!" Draco lamented. 

"One more question or you don't get to kiss me," she said stubbornly.

Draco rolled his eyes but nevertheless nodded in agreement. Ginny smiled with satisfaction. "What were you doing in Knockturn Alley?" she asked shrewdly. "I saw you going in and out of there, Draco."

"You thought the potion was mine?" Draco asked, slightly hurt.

"I'm sorry but could you blame me?"

At that, Draco let out a resigned sigh. "I was planning to sell all the Dark Artifacts my father had accumulated. I was actually talking with Mr. Borgin about the prices when I suddenly thought that it would be better to just surrender everything to the Ministry of Magic for further study and investigation," he replied tiredly. He smirked. "Happy now?"

Ginny nodded finally. Draco smiled and was about to bring his lips onto hers again when she suddenly stopped him again. "One more thing," she said abruptly.

"Ginny!" Draco frowned. Then his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Are you teasing me?" he asked, his voice rich with unmistakable want. "Because if you are, you'll be sorry for that later on, you know."

Hearing the tone of Draco's voice sent electric sparks up and down her spine. She immediately felt her face burning up as something hot and scorching ignited inside her simultaneously blending with the warm and tender feelings that swelled up inside her chest. She tried her best to smile. "I'm not teasing you," she said, her voice getting softer by the minute. "Dad."

"Good, but I'll make you pay later on, anyway," he drawled arrogantly and was about to kiss her again when this time, he stopped. He looked at her only to see her grinning at him. He frowned. "What did you say?" he asked.

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Did I say anything?" she asked airily.

"No, no, you said something!" Draco said quickly. "You said 'dad,' didn't you?"

"Maybe," replied Ginny deliberately. Then upon seeing Draco's incredulous face, she laughed. "Okay, maybe I did say something." She raised her eyebrows and looked away. "Maybe I did say the D-word," she hushed on enigmatically, her eyes widening in mock wonder.

At that, Draco's eyes widened, his mouth dropping. "Are you really?" he asked eagerly. "Really? You're not kidding me?"

"No!" Ginny answered. Then she smiled tenderly. After confirming everything with the Wizard Medic and checking herself in the bathroom with one of Hermione's hefty supply of pregnancy tests a while ago, she was now certain about it. "We're going to have a baby, Draco."

At that, Draco gave a whoop of joy. He laughed out loud, lifted her in his arms and kissed her hastily. Ginny laughed as well, her arms tightening around his neck even more. Just then, he stopped and gently let her down. He stared at her, his eyes full of silent amazement.

"A baby?" he gushed at her, his eyes misty. "I'm a father?" he asked no one in particular, his face alight with wonderment and awe. "I'm a father?" An indescribable feeling of happiness immediately soared inside him at the thought of his own flesh and blood growing inside of the woman he loved so much. He turned to her. "I'm going to be a father," he whispered, his voice rich with astonishment.

Ginny smiled and nodded. "Yes, Draco," she replied, bringing her hand to caress his cheek, "you're going to be father."

At that, Draco shook his head slowly. He gently held her face with his hands. "How could you make me so happy after all the things I've done to you?" he asked breathlessly. 

Ginny smiled radiantly. "You deserve it," she replied simply and before Draco could utter another word, she immediately brought her lips to his, shushing him up with a kiss full of blissful promises of a happy life together.

  
****

End of Part XIV 

Author's Notes:

Okay! That solved the mystery… though I know that there are some things to think about:

Just who really was Rebecca Fairfax anyway? What would it be? Girl or boy? What is the Patronus Eye? Does Harry have the hots for Rebecca? Will this be a potential Harry/Rebecca pairing? ^_~ What really was Rebecca's 'secret'? Why did she look gravely at Draco's direction? Did she suspect him to be the accomplice? Would there be a sequel? ::grins:: 

I know, I know that is why **I would be writing an Epilogue for Serpent's Bride **in hopes to answer the questions!!! At long last! It's coming to a close! Do wait for it ^_^

Most of the spells used are from me! Except **_Expelliarmus_**, **Stupefy** and **_Ennervate_**. They are from the **JK Rowling**.

The **Adamanto Reflectera Charm** is my own concept. However, the use of **Adamantine **is from **Cassandra Claire**. I was really aware that there is a word 'Adamantine' but to use it, Cassandra Claire got to it first so I e-mailed her and asked for her permission. And from that, I derived my own concept of the uses of adamantine. Thanks a lot Cassie! You're one of the best HP fic writers for me!

Special thanks to the writers of the **Spiderman, the movie and Hey Arnold**! Actually I took one **quote** from them and modified it a little. Thanks!

Another thing, **Proteus** is really from **Greek Mythology**. And shape changers are commonly known as **Proteans**. **Proteus** is actually a sea-god, one of Poseidon's servants or something. Anyway, he could really tell the past, the present and the future and for that matter, people would often bother him with questions. That is the sole reason why he would often change himself to anything, just to avoid those annoying people ^_^ I also coined the term **Alius Corporis** for this… If my Latin serves me right.

****

Loki and **Sigyn**, however, are from the **Norse Mythology**. I kind of derived my concept from their own story though I'm not really sure of what happened to Loki _

The **Seth Calendar** was just a product of my imagination as well as **the use** **of Egyptian Calendars by Evil Wizards**. **Seth**, is actually one of the Egyptians' evil god or something. It was said that Seth killed the god Osiris proving that he was really evil. That's how I came up with the Seth Calendar.

****

Blood Moon, from what I've read really does symbolize death and rebirth. Here in the fic, it had meant the death of Ginny's Essence and the rebirth of Bianca's. 

The **Soul Keeper** was from me. Although the concept was good, the term sucks. ^_^ Sorry for not being creative here! ::chuckles::

The **Eaton 3000** is actually from my cousin, **Jamie**. He's also a fic writer and he actually made his own line of broomsticks. He's a car fanatic too that's why I've mentioned that the **Eaton 3000** was made combining Muggle and Wizard Technology.

I believe that covers everything! As usual, proper disclaimers apply. This is just for fun, awright? So please don't sue! Thank you very much for reading and reviewing! ::waves:: **Again, stick around for the final chapter!!!**


	16. Epilogue: The Squib and The Fifth Guardi...

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Author's Notes: As promised, here's the closing chapter to Serpent's Bride!!! I know it's still long but the length is quite essential to answer some of your questions. And beside this is the last, long chapter everybody would be getting… ::sob::

Anyway, my thanks, as usual, go to my ever patient beta-readers, **Fred**, **Alli-chan** and **VioletJersey**, and also to all the people who tirelessly reviewed! **I dedicate this final chapter to you guys! You're the best!**

And to **Animagus-steph**, thank you girl for the long and touching reviews. I tell you it was always a pleasure reading your comments. They really make my day!

Here it is! The final chapter of Serpent's Bride! ^_^ ::bows::

  
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Serpent's Bride Epilogue – The Squib and The Fifth Guardian

  


"Good afternoon, sir. A table for two?"

Harry Potter turned only to see the friendly smile the waiter gave him as he entered the famous French restaurant located in the heart of Muggle London. He granted him an acknowledging smile and simply nodded once. "Yes, please," he said, looking around and scanning the crowd of people before him, all commonly in pairs, laughing, smiling, and eating with no cares at all.

The waiter, in turn, led him to a table near the window that out a very fine view of London's busy street of people rushing to and fro. After handing him the menu, his attendant bowed automatically and left him alone to decide in peace. Instead of opening the black, leather covered food list, however, Harry found himself turning towards the window on his left, and gazing at nothing in particular.

__

"Time sure flies fast," he thought as his eyes caught a gray pigeon flying low and landing gracefully on the cemented street, joining a flock of its own kind, no doubt in search its lunch, morsels of bread crumbs. His hand flew up only to rake his fingers through his usual messy hair. 

He sighed, his mind flashing back.

It had been a year since that fateful night and everything pretty much went back to normal with just a little hint of color to spice things up. Rebecca decided to leave the country, not telling them why and where, Ginny and Draco were on good terms already and were both happy 'INFANTicipating.' Meanwhile, Nathan had just turned three last September 1st with a huge celebration and two weeks later, Sylvia had celebrated her third birthday party as well. All of their close friends were invited, which now included the Malfoys much to Ron's dismay, considering that he had been given no choice about the matter. Of course, Vladimir was more than happy to attend his little 'friends' parties, and to bring and shower them with unusual and expensive gifts. 

__

"Gifts?" Harry found himself snorting._ "More like tools for destruction, really,"_ he thought. 

With Sylvia's mischievous disposition and Nathan's tolerating nature, surely Vladimir's curious gifts would no doubt give them 'ideas' that would surely lead them to another set of troubles with the Weasley Twins undoubtedly backing them up. Then it made him wonder. The tamed vampire was actually quite generous, in fact overly generous with Sylvia and Nathan. He shook his head. _"Perhaps he was so delighted because of the new addition to his family," _he surmised wonderingly. He felt an amused smile tugging at the corner of his lips upon remembering how big, moody and whiny Ginny was at that time. 

She was complaining about being too big and fat and Malfoy wasn't any better at assuring her that she was still the most beautiful woman in the planet. He thought his wife was being ridiculous. Harry thought so too. Even with Hermione's lamentations about the unfairness of nature (since Ginny's stomach seemed so small compared to how big hers had been when she was pregnant) and the fact that Ginny was in her final month (making her look cute and not bulging) didn't convince the stubborn redhead. That was the only thing he and Malfoy had agreed upon, actually. Ginny may have been a bit big with child but during her pregnancy, she really looked radiant. Maybe it was due to happiness. Just the way she looked at Draco and the way Draco would look back at her, returning the same loving gaze, confirmed that for Harry. For the first time in his life, he never saw Ginny looking so blissful. She was so happy and so much in love while starting a new family with Draco.

A month after that, she gave birth to a pretty and healthy baby girl.

All in all, it was a very happy and fruitful year for all of them. 

"You're early."

Harry looked away from the window, his thoughts interrupted. He followed the sultry voice only to make his eyes settle on a raven-haired woman standing before the chair opposite from him, who was staring at him with those mesmerizing violet orbs of hers. She was dressed in Muggle clothes: a purse in her hand and a flattering knee-length crimson dress that was an engaging contrast against her porcelain skin and a pair of delicate looking stilettos on her feet. As usual, she wasn't smiling. This woman rarely smiled at all. He swallowed hard, absorbing the frigid loveliness of the sight before him. When he heard her clear her throat noisily, he blinked, realizing that he had been actually staring. Immediately, he stood up, his manners finally kicking in him.

"Rebecca," he acknowledged instead, pulling out the empty chair for her. After all these months, she never failed to amaze him. Rebecca's eyebrows went up a notch but she nevertheless accepted the kind gesture with ease. She sat gracefully on the chair, murmuring her thanks. "So you finally decided to come," he added, taking his usual seat, facing her.

She raised her eyebrows higher as the waiter suddenly showed up only to fill their glasses with sparkling wine. Rebecca, for a moment, watched as the light yellow liquid filled the transparent glass half way to its brim. Then she shook her head while tearing her gaze away from it only to settle it on him. "How could I not come?" she drawled, once they were left alone. "You were terribly annoying."

Harry just smirked, lifted his wineglass and took a tiny sip of his wine. Rebecca, in turn, let her eyes dance on him thoroughly, taking advantage of the distraction, his eyes too preoccupied with the wineglass. He was having that awed curiosity on his clear face as his eyes scanned his drink. She couldn't help but notice how much better he looked since the last time. He had his usual messy hair tamed, with just a little bit of it stubbornly standing up and sticking out. His cheeks were smooth with a little dash of rose color on them, presumably because of the cool, spring air. He was dressed casually: light blue, buttoned-up shirt, dark, soft trousers, and she assumed, leather shoes. It was very becoming on him, she concluded reluctantly. Though very unlike Draco who was used to dressing rich and looking intimidating and powerful, Harry was looking quite fetching and approachable, simple but with a quiet hint of casual elegance. 

When Harry brought his glass down, she immediately turned away and focused her attentions on the clear window. "You thought out loud," continued Rebecca unfeelingly, seeing another set of pigeons landing eagerly on the street where a bunch of tourists had begun throwing and scattering bread crumbs all over the cemented ground. "Out of all them, you always thought the loudest. It was hard to concentrate and study with you screaming and yelling inside my brain."

He laughed without humor. He took another gulp of his drink, surprisingly feeling anxious and tensed. "So you came here to shut me up?" Harry asked after finishing his wine. 

Rebecca just raised her eyebrows again mildly and lifted her wineglass too as her reply. She took two sips before placing the delicate glass back on the table. "You can put it that way," she finally replied. After receiving nothing but reticence, she focused her eyes back on him and waited for him to go on. 

"So you went to Bulgaria to pursue your study after all?" Harry started after a moment of silence. 

Rebecca nodded. "With Dumbledore's recommendation," she replied, crossing her long legs under the table. "Headmaster Dippet became a very accommodating man after he read Dumbledore's letter." She shook her head. "Seems like what they say is true, Dumbledore can really do 'magic.'" She paused momentarily and upon noting the look of slight disbelief on Harry's face, she smirked at him. "Thought I was fooling all of you?" she challenged.

Harry raised his eyebrows at this. "You went away for a year sending us nothing but an owl, Rebecca," he said stiffly. "Just an owl without even stating where the hell you were and—"

"Why so suddenly interested?" she asked, interrupting him. 

She looked so vacantly at him that Harry found himself having a difficult time reading her emotions. Eventually, he gave up trying and looked away. Ginny was right, he thought, the woman was indeed the female version of Malfoy. 

"Cat got your tongue?" Rebecca asked, amused. She leaned back on her chair comfortably and crossed her arms.

Harry shook his head and returned the same amused expression she gave him. "Hardly at all," he replied. He took a deep breath. "So tell me, what have you learned?" he inquired in a soft voice.

"Oh, I learned lots of mind reading things."

"Such as—"

Rebecca sighed and gazed at the ceiling. "Let's not beat around the bush, Harry," she replied instead, her voice gentle but firm. She brought her eyes back on him sharply. "Out with it." 

Harry stared at her at calculatingly first. Realizing that she had decided to quit messing around, he decided to speak. After all, from the look she gave him, Harry assumed, this time, she really meant business. "You still have things to clear up, you know?" he said seriously.

Rebecca smirked coldly at him. "I know," she replied icily as she unfolded her arms, her hands automatically settling under her chin. "That is why I came here."

Harry stared fixedly at her, capturing her eyes with his so that Rebecca, for the first time, noticed how beautiful his eyes were behind his round glasses. It sparkled out a deep emerald hue, making it more intense. But then— She frowned. What the hell was she thinking? She shook such admiring thoughts away and set her lips in a thin grim line. She looked at him narrowly. 

"What do you want know?" she prodded on, her voice crisp with icy politeness.

Harry didn't tear his gaze away from her. 

"Who are you?"

==========

"You know we've discussed this already."

Draco let out an audible grumble that afternoon as he sulkily made his way across the bare and unfurnished room, towards the enormous desk of the empty Muggle estate Ginny insisted on viewing. In truth, she had wanted simple house a little outside of London, just a simple house. But Draco had shooed her away and insisted on looking at estates and not little houses if she wanted to live in a new one. He slumped himself impatiently into its comfortable leather-cushioned seat while Ginny remained standing before the room's enormous windows, admiring the breathtaking view of the estate's woodland.

"No daughter of mine will become a squib," Draco said stubbornly. He turned away from her irritably, the tiny wheels of the chair emitting soft, squeaking noises. "I am a Malfoy and she is a Malfoy! There were no squibs or non-magic folks in the history of the Malfoy ancestry and I assure you, there never will be!" he declared loudly. 

Ginny sighed. _"Oh, dear,"_ she thought tiredly, _"here we go again."_

Ever since Hope was born, Ginny had brought up the dreadful subject of his daughter's big chances of becoming a squib, much to Draco's horror. She later informed him that her great-great grandmother Eloisa Mae Wellington was indeed one. She suggested that they consider the possibility and look for a suitable Muggle settlement if Hope ever became one. Ginny was most unwilling to raise her non-magic daughter, if ever she ended up becoming like her great-great-great grandmother, in the racist wizarding world. 

Ginny turned around to face him. "But we've already talked about the possibility, don't you remember?" she asked mildly. Then she smiled sweetly at him. "Remember, you said yes."

Draco rolled his eyes in exasperation. "How could I say no when you were looking so hot and when you were kissing me and stuff every time that subject would be brought up to my attention?" he said incredulously. "You tricked me into saying yes."

Ginny exhaled wearily and made her way towards her husband who moved the seat a little to get a perfect view of her. Draco stared at his wife for a moment, his well-trained eyes not missing the subtle but provocative sway of her hips whenever she would walk. Luckily, Ginny had gotten most of her genes from the Weasley's side of the family since her body had gone back to being small and dainty again right after giving birth. But then again, Draco would never, ever dream of having someone other than her even if she got too fat for him to handle. He surely wouldn't mind. After all, he was indeed a changed man.

"You know that's not true, right dear?" she cooed while slowly settling her light body on top of his lap, fully aware that the real estate broker left them alone to think in peace. Draco found himself lost for a moment when Ginny subtly moved her hips a little, intentionally rubbing the most sensitive parts of his anatomy deliciously. She kissed his lips lightly, making it linger from his mouth to his cheek then down onto his neck. "Come on, what do you say?" she asked, in between her kisses. "After all, Adrienne is our daughter. Surely you want what's best for her regardless of what she would become, right?" And without waiting for him to reply, Ginny planted her lips on his.

Draco finally released a pleasured groan as he found himself finally giving into his wife's advances. God knows he couldn't resist her! He pulled her closer to him and leaned back comfortably, urging her to part her legs. When she finally obliged, he easily lifted her up, giving her the advantage to straddle on top of his thigh, her lips not leaving his. 

It was really amazing at how much emotions Ginny could stir inside him with just a kiss, he thought. Her simple kiss was enough to generate an infinite number of tender but fervent feelings inside of him so strong that the normal thing to do was to pour it all out on her, making her feel weak and hot and loved all in the same time. 

Just then he stopped much to Ginny's surprise and disappointment.

"See, you're doing it again," he said, forcefully tearing his lips away from hers. At that, Ginny giggled. Draco frowned at her in mock exasperation. "Since when did you learn to use your sexual prowess to get what you want?" he demanded good-naturedly. 

Ginny pouted. "Whatever do you mean by that, Draco?" she asked with sweet innocence. She leaned a little towards him, the strands of her flame-red hair hanging all around them, creating a fragrant, red curtain for their faces. "I'm just kissing you. Since when did it become a crime to kiss my husband, hmm?"

"You know very well that that is the kind of ploy that we men can't fight," argued Draco. He paused for a moment only to steal a kiss from Ginny's enticing lips, to which she didn't mind at all. When Ginny lightly traced the smooth skin of his mouth with her tongue in retaliation, Draco emitted a low cry of pleasure. "Good God, woman, you're becoming too hard to handle, do you know that?" he exclaimed softly.

The giggles died only to be replaced by a lazy but suggestive smile. "I learned from the best," she replied huskily, her fingers playfully twiddling his tie. "I have the best teacher."

Draco smirked arrogantly at her. "You're in the mood, yes?" he asked hoarsely. "Mr. Dumont won't be back till five. That gives us," he paused only to fish his pocketwatch out of his pocket, "twenty minutes to finish whatever you, my dear wife, have started," he finished, his eyes narrowing dangerously at her. He returned his hands on her waist, dropping the pocket watch on the floor, already forgotten. "We have this big and sturdy table all to ourselves."

Ginny merely raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, I'm in the mood, all right," she said while busily detaching herself from his arms, much to his disappointment. "But that will have to wait, dear. Other than we'd be running a little late for Mother's birthday dinner celebration, giving us absolutely no time to 'dally' inside our chamber, there are just some issues more important for us to talk about." She stood up from his lap and picked up Draco's pocket watch from the floor. She handed it to him. "Goodness! Just what will we tell Mr. Dumont when he asks us about what we think?"

"Well, we could always tell him about the quick but fantastic snogging session we had," said Draco with mild sarcasm, standing up from the chair as well. When he earned a reproachful look from Ginny, he cried, "It's not my fault! I didn't start it."

This made her roll her eyes. "Don't tell me that you didn't like it," she answered back. At that, Draco chuckled. She shook her head. "In the meantime, what about Adrienne and this magnificent estate?" she inquired, changing the subject.

"She's Hope," Draco corrected, taking his pocket watch from her. "Honestly, Ginny, until now, I can't seem to figure out why you chose that name for our daughter."

Ginny eyed him darkly.

Draco cleared his throat. "Well, not that it's a— terrible name, really," he stammered upon noting the disagreeable look Ginny gave him. But then, who could blame him? Adrienne was a guy's name and for heaven's sake his child was a girl! Now he was beginning to regret the agreement he made with her, that if the baby would turn out to be a girl, Ginny would have the right to name her and if a boy, Draco. It took him a hell of a time negotiating with her before she finally conceded on adding a 'Hope' to her name, which he thought about out of nowhere. 

"There's a story to it," said Ginny softly. 

Draco raised his eyebrows questioningly, waiting expectantly.

"Back in the orphanage there was this boy named Adrian," she started while straightening her skirts. "He was five years old, really sweet. But he was sick. Anyway, I kind of became close to the boy to the point that I nearly adopted him as my own." She paused and granted him a sad smile. "I already had all the legal papers drawn up and signed. I didn't tell him because I wanted it to be a surprise but then, he died even before he even learned that he would have a mother and that he would be leaving the orphanage."

"Sick?" Draco asked curiously, his hands making an unsuccessful attempt arranging his disarrayed tie. "What sickness?"

"Leukemia," replied Ginny, seeing Draco struggling. When he gave her a blank look, she sighed and pushed his hands away from his tie, replacing it with her own. "It's a term used by Muggles for the abnormal increase of white blood cells in the body." She paused, her hands working quickly against the knot. "It was a blow to me since I knew how badly he wanted to leave the orphanage. You see, Draco, spending two years of my life with them made me realize how hard it was to be an orphan. Believe it or not, those children hated to be inside the orphanage. All of them wanted to leave, all of them wanted to have a family and Adrian was one of those children."

"Oh," murmured Draco, nodding as Ginny smoothed back his collar.

"It pained me to see someone so young die," she continued, stepping back from him, finally through with his tie. "It was just like yesterday, he was so bright and bubbly, laughing and the next moment, cold, lifeless." She stopped to breathe in deeply. "So, at that moment, I promised myself that if ever I get married and have children, regardless of what my first born will be, I'll name it Adrian. Well, since I have a girl, I changed the spelling, of course."

"I see," Draco whispered understandingly. When Ginny felt his unusual silence, she turned to him and grinned. "But everything's all right now. It was a long time ago," she started cheerfully. "So what about our Adrienne?"

Draco's somber look changed into an objecting frown. "She's Hope," he corrected again. Then he sighed thoughtfully, letting his fingers rake through his fine hair. "I don't know, Ginny," he started. He looked at her seriously. "I'm not really sure if this is a good idea," he added truthfully as he walked towards the windows, his back on her. 

He gave a worn out sort of sigh as he shoved his hands gracefully inside his pockets and sank into deep thought. He had considered matters like that nothing but trivial in the past. Malfoys didn't concern themselves with those kind of issues because each and everyone of them was a certified, pure-blooded wizard. They were sure that a squib would never turn out in the family considering what their bloodline and heritage was like. It was a strict family rule to be born with magic and so far, that rule hadn't been broken. It had just never occurred to him that that he would now be seriously facing something he considered nugatory before. The entire idea was new to him. 

"That's what you told Mother when she suggested that you sell Malfoy Manor," replied Ginny as she made her way towards him. She stopped just inches away from his warm body only to smell the familiar scent of him. No matter what Draco did, he always smelled good, she surmised for a moment. She shook such thoughts away and continued on. "But eventually, it relieved you to have it off your hands, did it not?"

Draco snorted. "That is different," he answered back. "Any normal person would do that," he added dispassionately. 

Ginny decided to turn around to place herself behind his tall frame. She could do nothing but raise her arms and coil it around his waist, hugging him with gentle and silent understanding upon hearing the tone of bitterness in Draco's voice when the name Malfoy Manner was brought up. After all, anybody would've done what he had, right? Malfoy Manor only made him and his mother remember nothing but pain since they had spent most of their miserable lives there. She was actually not surprised at how quick Narcissa was able to convince her son to sell the whole property at a low price and move into Vlad Manor (much to the delight of the old man), considering how shrewd Draco was when business and Galleons were concerned. 

When Draco felt her arms around him, he automatically lowered his head, took her right arm and lightly kissed her hand as an acknowledgment. Then he frowned with disbelief, murmuring, "I just can't believe I haven't thought about it sooner." He let out a humorless chuckle. "Why haven't I thought about that sooner?"

"It's because you hated Grandfather's guts so much at that time that you couldn't take the idea of moving in his manor and living with him under one roof," Ginny answered for him. Then she dismissed the nonsensical chatter by bringing up the subject about the Muggle estate again. 

"Look Draco," she started softly. Hearing the grimness in her voice, Draco turned around causing her to loose her embrace. "We don't actually need to buy this estate immediately. In truth, we don't even need a house as big as this. All I'm asking is for you to reconsider the possibility of her chances on becoming a squib with an open mind." She paused and slowly let her hands down, staring fixedly at his silver eyes. "That goes the same for finding a new home suitable for her. You very well know that it would be really difficult for us and especially for Adrienne to live in a place where everybody is so different from her. I don't want her to feel inferior." Just then, her brown eyes narrowed dangerously. "And I won't have you disowning her or anything of the sort when she turns out to be a squib," she warned sternly. "I'd be your worst enemy if you do that, Draco."

The last statement made Draco's eyebrows wrinkle in incredulity. "Are you crazy?" he exclaimed at her. "I will never, never do something as stupid as that to my one and only child!" he exclaimed at her. "Whatever made you say that thing? " he added with disgust. When Ginny just regarded him silently, he smiled and took her hand in his. "I love Hope and I would most certainly and definitely accept her and NOT disown her, squib or not," he whispered reassuringly. "I'm not insane like my father."

That made Ginny smile. "All right," she said finally. "I believe you."

"Good," he said, kissing her hand first before letting go of it. Then he looked around the spacious chamber before pulling her with him towards the doors. "In the meantime, why don't we look for Mr. Dumont and tell him what we just decided?"

"After that, are we going straight at the Manor then?" asked Ginny as they made their way towards the estate's second floor hall as she purposely linked her arm with his. She secretly hoped that Draco wouldn't have any more business to attend to. She was already missing Adrienne. 

"Yes, I'm sure by the time we get there, dinner will already be starting," replied Draco. "We will later earn a scolding from Grandfather, no doubt about it."

Ginny grinned at him. "Oh, let me handle that," she said sweetly. "Meanwhile, why don't you drive for a change? You need some practice," she suggested. After all, she had been driving since that noon and she was feeling tired.

At that, Draco stopped and turned to her as though she had gone insane. "What?" he exclaimed. "I am not going to associate myself with something as Muggle as--," 

"Oh come on, Draco," lamented Ginny tiredly. "You already know— well, though against your wishes… But still, I already taught you how—"

"And I was most unwilling," he quipped, seeing her eager face. He just couldn't understand how his wife was able to stand living for more than a year in a Muggle settlement and actually learn their pathetic ways for survival. What's more, he couldn't even understand how the hell Ginny forced him into learning something as stupid as that! He turned away, shaking his head vigorously. "There is absolutely no way that I would uh— drive that blasted thing again!"

For a moment, Ginny fell silent. Then another one of her syrupy smiles grazed her face as an idea struck her. She turned to him and lightly tugged at his arms to get his full attentions. "Too bad," she said, her voice a little somber. "I'm sure if Harry was here, he would love to take that baby for a test drive." She looked at him in satisfaction upon seeing Draco's crabby expression slowly changing to that of being reluctantly thoughtful and aversely considerate. "After all, that's a slick, red convertible, surely—"

"Potter drives?" Draco suddenly cut in. When Harry's name finally registered in his brain, his eyes slowly narrowed into slits.

Ginny raised her eyebrows in mock wonder. "Well, it's not surprising if he does," she replied innocently. "After all, he was raised in the Muggle community and I'm fairly sure that he—"

"Come on," said Draco as his left hand automatically went for his pockets, no doubt in search for the keys. _If that imbecile can drive, I can drive better,_ he thought with gritted teeth, fully unaware that he, Draco Edward Malfoy, had successfully fallen into one of Ginny's cunning traps again. "Where the hell could Mr. Dumont be?" he asked impatiently as they reached the stair's final step only to see the front hall empty. 

"I don't know," said Ginny gaily, quite pleased to learn that her scheme had actually worked. Spending most of her time with him made her finally learn one of his cunning ways to getting what she wanted. "After all, this is such a huge estate," she added, careful enough not to broach the subject of cars and driving again now that Draco was willing, though unconsciously fooled, to take his turn behind the wheel.

If she had just known that it was quite rewarding to be the slick, cunning and old 'Draco Malfoy' once in a while, then she would've gladly taken some lessons from him way back when they were still studying!

She suppressed the urge to laugh. 

==========

"Are you sure you want to know who I am?" Rebecca asked philosophically while studying the stern expression Harry's face projected. "I'm asking you because it can take us all day or," she paused and raised one delicate eyebrow, "who knows, you might not like what you will hear later on."

"Believe me, I can deal with it," said Harry firmly. "I've had worse," he murmured darkly, remembering the struggles forcefully thrusted onto him at the very young age of thirteen. He cleared his throat and said, "You have the Patronus Eye. Why?"

"You think that Hermione and Ron are the only ones?" she asked knowingly. She looked at him and waited for his reaction.

"Not only Hermione and Ron," replied Harry. "But also Dumbledore and McGonagall." He stopped, inhaled deeply and exhaled. "The Patronus Eye is a symbol of the guardians," he continued softly. "It has always been like that, even centuries ago. The Guardians are born and reborn again and again, generation to generation. It's a never ending cycle as long as the likes of Voldemort is around." 

Rebecca just stared at him silently, waiting. She took her slender fingers from her chin and placed them on the table. Her forefinger moved as it tapped itself against the cloth-covered mahogany.

"Before I faced Voldemort, the Orb of Truth revealed the five guardians of our time bearing the symbol of an eye. Apparently, the five guardians were to help me defeat the present evil, which we all know was Voldemort."

"And?" Rebecca prodded on.

"Hermione had one and Ron too," he replied. "After that, Dumbledore found himself having one again, the second time around and then McGonagall." He stopped and turned to her sharply. "The Orb of Truth said there were to be five but as I saw it there were only four."

"I don't see what that has to do with me," quipped Rebecca delicately. 

She tapped faster.

"When I was facing Voldemort in a one-on-one combat, the five guardians fed me their magic by sending their own Patronuses therefore making me more powerful," he supplied ignoring the clear amusement in Rebecca's eyes. Harry knew Rebecca was deliberately being difficult and he was not going to give her the pleasure of seeing him vexed. "Hermione's Patronus was an owl and it was blue. It gave me wisdom and cleverness," Harry continued on with a straight face. "Ron's was in a form of a wolf and it was a brilliant white. It was his Patronus that pretty much balanced my sanity after receiving so much power from the remaining three."

"And those three would be—"

"Dumbledore's was a phoenix. It was red and it gave me strength and courage while McGonagall's Patronus was a cat, as usual, it gave me wit and resourcefulness." He stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "And you wouldn't guess what the fifth one gave me, Rebecca," he whispered, his voice soft but dangerous.

Rebecca smiled at him without mirth. "Humor me," she said with mild sarcasm.

"It gave me darkness, a negative energy," answered Harry, his inquiring eyes not leaving hers. When Rebecca regarded him with cold silence, Harry decided to go on. "It was the most powerful of the five. It was so powerful that I believe that it was the one who really made me defeat Voldemort. The Patronus was a falcon and the color that I saw was violet." He momentarily pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Deep, dark violet." He shook his head. "And you know what?"

Rebecca merely raised a questioning brow at his direction.

The tapping stopped abruptly.

"It was you all along," he finally said. "I felt it in you a year ago, when we were helping Ginny." He looked away. "Why is it that your identity wasn't revealed? I didn't even see you during the war." he asked after a moment.

Rebecca stared at him first. "The Orb of Truth is not a Dark Artifact," she finally answered. "And as you can see it, it was darkness that you felt."

Just then, realizations hit Harry full force. "I defeated darkness with darkness as well," he said breathlessly. Does it mean the he was one of them after all? Does it mean that he was no different from the Dark Lord, that there was a darker side of him that he wasn't aware of? Was he really evil without him knowing it? After all, the first time he defeated Voldemort, he somehow got a part of his power. Could it be possible that, other than his ability to talk to snakes, he got something of his dark nature, something more evil? Such a thing sent his mind reeling. It was a horrifying thought that Harry found his insides twisting as confusion and anger battled within himself, sending his state of mind into a turmoil.

__

"But I'm not like that!" he insisted on himself. _"I am different. I have proved it countless of times already, haven't I?"_

Rebecca finally decided to take some action. "In that particular battle, it wasn't a question of whether you were evil or not," she said, reading his mind, feeling his struggles clearly. "It was a question of power, Harry. It was clear that you and Voldemort were equal in measure when it came to that matter but that's where the similarities ended."

This time, it was Harry's turn to be silent. He looked at her, his eyes hungry for answers, craving for comforting justifications that only she could give. He was not just staring at her, he was pleading with his mind, with his heart. It was so loud that Rebecca felt it, heard it. As of now, in his state of mind, he was completely under her mercy. He would believe anything from her. Whatever would come tumbling out of her mouth could either destroy him or strengthen him. At this particular moment, she had the choice— and she never felt so powerful! She began to relish the feeling… but then… Rebecca turned to him, her eyes growing soft.

"Sure the 'fifth guardian' gave you darkness but Voldemort had it as well. You had wit and cleverness and again, Voldemort had it too. But there was only one thing that you did that Voldemort didn't do. It was that one thing that caused his downfall." She smirked arrogantly at him. "You used that power for the benefit of everybody whereas Voldemort used it for his own selfish desires." She stopped and purposely flipped her long hair aside. "You have your friends backing you up. They were doing it whole-heartedly because they wanted to and not because they would get something in return. It was a complete opposite in Voldemort's case. With him, there was hesitation among his supporters but with yours there was none. And that made you, stronger, more powerful." She sighed and stared at Harry's furrowed brows. "You see, Harry, all people have their own negativity, not just you. It was just up to them on how they use it. That makes us solely unique from one another. But sadly, that is one of the most trivial things people tend to ignore. They don't know that whatever negative things happen to them, it is all up to them on how they will use such negativity for their advantage and betterment. It's a blessing in disguise, Harry. A very ugly disguise, that is."

Harry's eyes widened at the short speech. 

Rebecca fixed a piercing gaze on him. "You're different from him, Harry," she finally said, her voice soft, full of enigma. "You have negativity, but on the other hand, you have goodness. You used that negativity for the betterment of everybody and not for your own personal purposes. That almost makes it positive, don't' you think?"

And that was the sort of thing Harry wanted to hear. With that, his lost expression changed into a relieved, thankful smile. Seeing the miracle those simple words brought to the man, Rebecca knew she did the right thing. She snorted impatiently, masking the overwhelming blissful feeling she used to have when doing something good for others. And it wasn't her. Feeling it just didn't make her. It was rather disturbing. 

"You should've known that right from the start," she suddenly grouched haughtily. She momentarily rolled her eyes heavenwards only to make them land on him once again, completely miffed. "Idiot!"

Harry grinned at her gratefully. She was really terrible when it comes to being appreciated by others, he surmised. "I see," he murmured, finally understanding everything. He turned away from her piercing gaze. "Tell me the truth," he started. "Are we going to face Voldemort once again?"

As her reply, Rebecca opened her purse and produced a yellowed parchment from it. Then without a word, she threw the paper on the table. Harry brought his eyes back to her and automatically reached for it, bringing it closer to his face. Just then, his expression thoughtful upon realizing that it was actually the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet. He briefly read the bold headline with pictures of Aurors moving around frantically, wands in hand:

  
**__**

Zabini Heiress Disappears Mysteriously; Victor Zabini Commits Suicide

  


"Everything's just the beginning, Harry," said Rebecca while reading the look of disbelief written on his face. 

"I don't get it," said Harry after reading the article. He shook his head thoughtfully. "So Blaise suddenly disappears and Victor Zabini decides to kill himself. It's—"

Rebecca merely raised her eyebrows at him, waiting.

"So what if one of Voldemort's minions decided to be insane and commit suicide? There's nothing surprising about it, knowing how insane they were in the first place, anyway." Harry babbled on. "Surely it was," he broke off, realizations hitting him. He looked at Rebecca, his eyes widening. "You don't say that this has a connection, do you?"

"I just have my suspicions, that's all," she replied simply. "After all, strange things have been happening, one after the other. It wouldn't hurt if we're all on our guard at all times."

"Speaking of such, there is one more thing that I need to know right now," said Harry, turning to her once again.

"Nothing surprising there," gibed Rebecca softly.

Harry ignored her. "When Ron asked about the accomplice, why did you look at Malfoy accusingly?" he asked. His eyes suddenly turned piercing. "You think it was him."

"It wasn't him," replied Rebecca quietly. She looked down. 

"When I asked Malfoy about it, he told me that it even got him confused," continued Harry. "He told me that before we came, Bianca was literally trying to kill him, which I think was true considering that we found him all bruised and beaten up. But then, she started to look at him softly—"

"It was an illusion," she cut in, remembering the other unseen presence she felt a year ago.

"An illusion?" echoed Harry curiously.

She finally looked up. "When Bianca was inside me, I saw everything. Her past, her present, as in everything that had happened. The planning, the killing--" her voice trailed thoughtfully, remembering the scorching pain it brought. She was actually writhing in pain because of it. That particular incident nearly drove her mad. "It was actually difficult for me since it was an overload of memories. I have her memory and mine as well inside one brain. Too much for me to handle, you see. And then I saw blonde hair and a pale face, a face that vaguely resembles Draco, inside her past and her present." She blinked her eyes as though searching, trying hard to remember. "But then again, it was a different aura, a different energy. Considering the resemblance, making it impossible for me to confirm anything, I couldn't do anything but to rely on their auras." She paused momentarily, frowning. "With the real Draco, I saw nothing but an uncommon combination of silver and green. Cold silver and warm green. But with the pale-faced man inside my twin's memory, I saw nothing but--," she took a deep breath, "I saw nothing but smeared black."

Harry's jaw dropped slightly. "So it wasn't Malfoy?" he asked. _"So what do you know," _he thought silently, _"the moron has a heart after all!"_

Rebecca's eyes turned sharp. "I heard that," she snapped. When Harry grinned at her apologetically, she shook her head. "It wasn't him," she said. "It was somebody else. I assumed that a very powerful illusion charm was used."

"So you were saying that she had been, indeed, following orders from HIM thinking that it was the real Malfoy? Bianca thought it was really Malfoy who was ordering her to kill Ginny?"

"Yes, I reckon so," Rebecca nodded. "But I'm sure it wasn't Draco at all."

Harry sighed. "Yes," he agreed just remembering the surprising and extraordinary love and care the man gave Ginny. After witnessing that, he was sure that, no matter how cruel that man could be, Malfoy wouldn't do something as horrid as that to Ginny. "It definitely was not Malfoy."

That made Rebecca brows furrowed while she looked at him curiously. "So, I take it you're friends already?" she asked deliberately. It was common knowledge to everybody that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were not exactly on good terms with each other.

At that, Harry's resigned expression turned to disgust. "Friends? With Malfoy?" he spat. The very word nearly made him fall off his chair. He shook his head vigorously. Well, although he did invite Malfoy and his family to his son's birthday party— it was just all because of Ginny, right? He couldn't possibly invite Ginny only. If he wanted Ginny for Nathan's birthday party then surely he would have to invite her new family, and that included Malfoy. It was the polite thing to do. But then again, after seeing the lighter side of his being, he suddenly found out that the feelings of contempt he was harboring towards the man had slowly melted away. 

He was not a friend, but he was not an enemy, either. 

"I— I," he shook his head, breathing deeply. "To tell you honestly, Rebecca, I don't know what he is," replied Harry slowly, the truth dawning upon him.

"He's a paradox," Rebecca replied simply. Harry stared at her only to see the implied significance in her eyes. The answer, though simple as it was, contained a lot of meanings when it came to 'who the real Draco was.' Seeing all the things her eyes conveyed made him finally understand. 

Yes, Draco Edward Malfoy was, indeed, made up of an unending number of paradoxes. But a good one at that, if he put his heart into it, that is.

He smiled resignedly. 

She gave him an amused but unsmiling look. "I assume you'll be going later?" she asked, changing the subject.

Harry frowned. "How did you know?" he asked.

"I was invited," she said, taking out a mild scented invitation out of her purse. She dangled it in front of him that Harry could do nothing but to merely nod and take a sip of his water. "What's the girl's name?" she asked after putting the invitation on the table, in front of her.

He swallowed first before uttering, "Adrienne Hope." He stared at her rosy face. "You're going, aren't you?" he asked her. If Rebecca wasn't mistaken, there was a hint of hope in his voice. 

She let out a tiny, almost non-existent smile. "You know me better than that, Harry," she drawled. 

At that, Harry nodded in acceptance. Just then, he grinned. "Then why don't we have dinner here?" he suggested, taking the menu and opening it. "At this rate, I won't be able to get there on time. I'm sure dinner will be over by the time I arrive there."

"You're mixing business with pleasure, yes?" she asked. Harry looked up from his menu only to see Rebecca staring at him, her lips set in a grim line. 

Harry desperately weighed his answer. Although he did ask for her to come and meet him for some clarifications, he was also hoping that this would be a very enjoyable evening for them. That's why he had asked her to meet him in this splendid French restaurant. He felt that Rebecca needed a break, needed to loosen up a little bit. He couldn't help but feel that the woman was definitely holding back something. And besides, any normal man would do that, right? Rebecca was a very attractive woman, after all. He just wasn't sure on how to ask her out so he used the idea of 'mixing business with pleasure' to which she smartly figured out. 

__

"This is one of those moments that I really wish I was that prat Malfoy," he thought with a little disgust. Draco Malfoy sure would know what to do and what to say in a situation like this. Much to his very surprise, though, Rebecca choked on her water. Harry's eyes widened a little as he began to see a chink in the iron maiden's armor. If she was really shielding a sense of humor under there somewhere, it would require investigation. 

"You heard that, didn't you?" Harry asked rather lamely as Rebecca hastily put her glass back down. He smiled with embarrassment. 

She shook her head, a smile of genuine pleasure clearly fighting to get free from her austere lips. "Next time, ask politely, Harry. I won't bite," she said as she too picked her own menu from the table. She looked at him, clearly amused. "Being cunning doesn't suit you, you know."

"And why, may I ask?"

Rebecca smirked at him. 

"You're a Gryffindor."

==========

Draco and Ginny were rushing towards the main sitting room that night. They had just gotten home and had practically dashed straight to their chambers to quickly change for dinner, ignoring the overwhelming desire to go straight to the nursery to give Adrienne a visit. Other than it was already too late for that, they have this feeling that by this time, Adrienne was already downstairs entertaining their guests with Vladimir and Narcissa present. 

"It was your fault," hissed Ginny as they quickly sailed down the stairs, the silken skirts of her flattering lilac dress billowing all around her with her every step. She turned to look at Draco crabbily, only to see him unsuccessfully struggling with his tie.

Draco's eyes widened in disbelief. "My fault?" he asked breathlessly. "Excuse me, but are you forgetting that it was you, Madam, who insisted that I drive?"

They finally reached the enormous front hall. They turned left. Ginny halted abruptly and held Draco by his arm, stopping him from entering the huge doors of the enormous family room. Draco turned to her, confused. "What?" he whispered.

"You're tie's not fixed," she answered, her hands automatically reaching up to arrange it properly. Draco stood perfectly still as Ginny worked furiously. He let out an almost goofy smile as the faint sweet scent of her hair wafted to him. After having finally done with task, she smiled at him and stepped back. "All done," she said, letting go of it. "You look good in black, did I tell you that?" 

Draco instantly turned serious. "You look beautiful." And with that, he pulled her to him for a quick kiss. But then, when Ginny responded eagerly, the quick kiss became a long, heated one, and the dinner and Grandfather's wrath was already forgotten. He would've purposely wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her closer if not for the loud, booming voice coming from the door.

"I should've known!"

Draco and Ginny both jumped in surprise as they immediately sprang apart from each other, like two magnets of the same pole. They both turned only to find Vladimir eyeing them disagreeably, his hands sternly on his hips.

They grinned at him sheepishly.

"You young scamps!" the old man bellowed as he pushed the laughing young couple into the room. "You're late!"

"I'm sorry, Grandfather," said Ginny buoyantly. "After all, we're practically newlyweds. Surely, you do understand that." Then her span of attention wandered on immediately as she saw her family comfortably lounging about, glasses of champagnes in their hands. Before Vladimir could retort, she hastily sashayed her way to the group of ladies who were ogling the a tiny crib located at the center of the room, leaving the tongue-tied Draco together with his Grandfather, who was looking after her with amused disbelief. All the ladies were there with the exception of Fleur who had decided to stay a little longer in France, and Molly, her mother, who decided to take a little kip in one of the manor's chambers, complaining of a headache.

When he suddenly found his voice, Draco cleared his throat. "Grandfather," he acknowledged more seriously with a slight nod.

"We'll talk later. You're mother's been waiting for you," was all Vladimir said as he led his grandson inside the sitting room, dismissing thoughts about Ginny. They entered only to see nothing but red and blonde mixing quite delightedly inside the cozy room. Draco hurriedly went to his mother to give her a polite birthday kiss. Vladimir, in turn, wandered off towards Sylvia and Nathan, whom Harry left in Hermione's care.

"Happy Birthday, Mother," he whispered in her ear after giving her a light smack on her cheek.

Narcissa let out one of her dazzling smiles. "Thank you, dear," she said. Just then, to his surprise, his mother's usual calm demeanor began to crack as a pair of lovely pink tints crept onto her cheeks. He turned around and saw a man, standing behind him, holding to glasses of champagne. He was smiling.

"Professor Remus Lupin?" Draco said, befuddled, quite surprised to see the kind-looking professor for the first time in eight years. He turned to his mother and gave her a questioning but meaningful look. Narcissa just shrugged delicately, her cheeks turning from pink to scarlet. Seeing that, Draco turned his attentions back to Lupin only to see the older man's confused expression. He immediately fixed his face and smiled. "Professor Lupin!" he greeted graciously. Lupin, in turn, decided to hand Narcissa her promised drink. The woman, in turn, thanked him shyly.

"Young Draco Malfoy," the professor said as the two men shook hands. "How are you?" the gentleman inquired before taking a sip of his wine.

"Fine, thank you," replied Draco cordially. He stared at him only to see a hint of gray sprinkled quite dashingly against his brown hair. Though nearing his mid-forties, Professor Remus J. Lupin still looked quite young. He looked somewhat different, in fact, better. He was no longer garbed in those shabby robes of his he was used to seeing and he was looking healthy, his cheeks rosy and his eyes with a ready smile, quite unlike the pale and sickly man he met before. Maybe it was because of the ready grin he always had on his face or maybe it was because of the way he could always handle his worries. He shook such unimportant thoughts away, clearing his throat. "And you?"

"Oh, just fine, just fine. Positively cheerful. "

"I heard that you've been given a very prestigious teaching job in Bulgaria?" asked Draco as he slipped his left hand reflexively inside his pocket. It was clear that a pleasant conversation was about to take place. "Deputy Headmaster, is it?"

Lupin shook his head, clearly embarrassed. "Everything wouldn't be possible without the help of good, ol' Dumbledore," he replied good-naturedly.

"Indeed," said Draco, nodding. Then his brows furrowed curiously. "Any news of Sirius Black?" 

After having his name cleared off of his supposed crime, Sirius Black, much to Snape's displeasure, had gone back to being his old self once again: obnoxiously funny. He had been given a teaching career, instructing DADA, handling most of the younger set of new female professors at Hogwarts, breaking hearts along the way and practically repeating history by making Severus Snape's life miserable once more, this time without the able help of Prongs, Moony and Wormtail. Not that he needed the help anyway. Then two years after that, he was recruited to work with the Elite Defense Force in the Department of Magical Law and Enforcement. Recently, the Ministry of Magic sent Sirius Black with Percy Weasley to head a team of Elite Aurors to investigate an abnormal activity brewing in the Southeast. 

"Oh, Sirius is fairly much enjoying his time in Asia," replied Lupin, chuckling softly. "He sent me a picture and the old chap's brown as a nut. The last thing I heard, according to his last letter, was he had met a gorgeous, exotic beauty and has finally decided to settle down and start a family of his own." Draco chuckled at the tone of Lupin's voice. "Oh, I do hope that that woman knows what she's venturing into," he added, good-naturedly but nevertheless, shaking his head in pity. 

"Does Potter know about this?" Draco inquired curiously.

Lupin raised his eyebrow as he studied the delicate, crystal flask on his hand. "I'm pretty sure that Harry's quite anxious to meet the woman who had finally trapped his philandering Godfather into submission," said Lupin, clearly amused. "To congratulate her, maybe. Or warn her."

Draco was about to say something again when he noticed his mother staring at him quite oddly. He frowned at her with confusion at first before looking past the professor only to see Ginny's father and brothers standing by the fireplace, talking and jesting with each other. He turned to Lupin and caught him gazing longingly at his mother, who, in turn, smiled at him understandingly. At once, he finally got what his mother had meant. It was actually not his habit to be a third wheel anyway. He cleared his throat and smiled apologetically at Remus. "You have to excuse me Professor, but my wife's family—"

"Oh, of course, of course," said Lupin quite enthusiastically. Draco couldn't tell if the professor was just happy to be relieved of his endless questions or extremely glad to be left alone with his mother. He shrugged. Either way, he was glad to leave them alone. "Don't let me keep you."

Draco nodded, said his temporary farewell and immediately flaunted towards the Weasleys, smiling engagingly. When Bill saw him, he quickly left the group to welcome him with a firm hand shake. 

"Congratulations, brother-in-law, for a very beautiful baby girl," said Bill happily. Draco smiled and accepted his congratulations with grace. Not long after that, he shook hands with his father-in-law and the rest of his brother-in-laws including Ron, who was surprisingly acting civil and polite.

"I heard that Malfoy Manor was brought by a Japanese wizard?" Charlie asked after the very enlightening topic about the Muggle Judicial System had come to a close. Before Draco could answer, Vladimir had suddenly popped in to join them, heaving and quite sweaty after a very tiring goose chase with Sylvia. Ron politely excused himself, murmuring something about finding Hermione or waiting for Harry outside. Actually, he was debating whether to go and check out the Malfoy's magnificent Broom Collection or go and wait for Harry outside. Much to his reluctant delight and surprise, Draco invited him quite generously to lounge about the Broom Chamber whenever he wished to. After thinking things over, he shook his head, the latter winning. He made his way silently towards the Broom Chamber.

"Er— yes, yes," replied Draco after taking a sip of his champagne. "Sold it for a mere 11 million."

"And why is that?" Fred asked while busy eyeing a beautiful Picasso portrait hanging comfortably on the wall. It was actually taken from Draco's Muggle painting collection. "That manor is sure worth more than that, I can tell."

Draco waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Oh, I couldn't care less about the price, actually," he replied truthfully. "All I wanted was just to get rid of the place."

"So how are things going on about the Zabini estate, Charlie?" Vladimir suddenly butted in. The last thing that he wanted was to spoil this lovely night for his grandson by bringing up a conversation about that blasted Manor.

Charlie Weasley grinned. "Oh, very well, thank you," he replied as he raised his glass a little bit to show his acknowledgement. "I tell you, it was a splendid idea to buy that place and turn it into a very useful and magnificent research facility. We can't thank you enough for donating such a place for research."

"Any new magical creatures found yet?" Arthur Weasley inquired suddenly. Bill and Draco turned to Charlie expectantly, interested. 

"Well, mostly, we're currently trying to breed a new flock of Golden Snidgets," informed Charlie in a business-like voice. "I have recently taken an interest into breeding one since the number of Golden Snidgets began to fall lower than the previous year."

"Are you going to cross-breed dragons?" George asked eagerly. "Maybe you could try cross-breeding a Hungarian Horntail and a Chinese Fireball or— or a Romanian Ridgeback?"

"George, cross-breeding, even breeding, dragons is illegal," Charlie replied tiredly. "And besides it's quite dangerous. Can you just imagine what it would be like if we had cross-bred dragons roaming around here?"

"Ooh, Charlie's talking about how dangerous dragons are," chided Fred as George laughed out loud. "Now that's something you don't hear everyday." With that, the rest of the men laughed.

Charlie looked at his twin brothers disagreeably. "Pillock!" he said, shaking his head. Then he turned to Vladimir once again. "The acres of rich fields, if you must know, is also being put to good use. Recently, a team of young Herbologists, headed by Neville Longbottom, was sent there to try their hands at breeding Philippine medicinal herbs in English soil since it's quite expensive to export a bunch of those here. I've heard, according to Mr. Longbottom, that indeed, this particular herb is not only for medicinal purposes but also quite an important ingredient for most of our other potions."

"Indeed," said Vladimir thoughtfully. He shook his head in wonder. He couldn't help but feel happy to see how much help he had contributed to their community.

Draco smirked, somewhat humored. _"What do you know,"_ he thought secretly, remembering how stupid and pudgy Longbottom was before. That boy had the worst memory than anyone in Hogwarts. It was actually a surprise that Neville Longbottom, in his little way, was finally making a name in the wizarding community. _"Neville Longbottom has a future after all."_ He let out a twisted sneer of amusement. _"His grandmother must be so proud," _he couldn't resist adding. Just then, his thoughts were interrupted when his grandfather gave him a sound clap on the shoulder. He quickly wiped the sneer off his face and turned to him seriously, his eyebrows raised.

"I've heard you've been out their looking at Muggle estates?" the old man asked in his usual loud voice. However, from the tone of his voice, Draco could tell that it was not a question, it was a demand for clarification.

"You were?" asked Arthur, suddenly perking up at the mere mention of the word 'Muggle' before Draco could answer his Grandfather. "Are you planning to settle there?"

"Uh, yes-- no," answered Draco quickly as all eyes turned to him. "Actually, Ginny and I, well, we haven't decided yet."

"Maybe you'd like to venture into managing a plantation? Sugar or a vineyard, perhaps, since you seemed to be fond of wines," suggested Vladimir after drowning the remaining contents of his glass. "It's pretty lucrative, you know. Good investment."

Draco went silent for a moment. Now that was a good alternative, he thought to himself. After all, Vladimir decided to have his will changed and leave all his assets to Draco and Ginny. Since Ginny left the money matters to him, Draco suddenly found himself a multi-millionaire once again. But where to put all the money wisely, that was the catch.

"Yes, that's a good idea," chimed in Bill. "You'll surely earn Muggle money and I tell you that the demand for it is increasing. Those goblins suddenly found Muggle money quite interesting, those demented brains of theirs. But then, the exchange rate is higher than last year's."

"If you do decide to buy it and settle there, let me know," said Arthur quite importantly. "I'm sure I'd be able to be of some help there."

Minutes passed by and the conversation about Muggle estates was slowly extinguished by an amiable conversation about the new Minister of Magic when suddenly, Hammilton glided past the wall to give Draco a message, informing him that Dumbledore was patiently waiting in his study's fireplace. Excusing himself politely, he immediately detached himself from the debating group and made his way towards his private study.

==========

"Oh look how beautiful she is," cooed Jane, Percy's wife, when she saw little Adrienne gave out a very adorable yawn. Nathan edged a little to his left to give the woman a clear view of the baby, a sweet, smile on his face. She looked at Ginny and grinned. "She looks exactly like you."

Ginny smiled and let her eyes settle on her baby only to notice her cute and red curly tresses. "Yes," she whispered as she let Adrienne grip her forefinger. She laughed softly. "The only thing that she got from Draco is her eyes," she added, noticing her daughter's mystical gray-green eyes.

"It was just yesterday, Sylvia was that small," said Hermione wistfully as she looked on. "And Nathan too." The she sighed. "Oh, I wish I'd be pregnant again. After all, Ron and I are still trying. He is in wanting of a boy, actually."

"Good thing Fleur isn't here to hear that," said Jane, laughing softly. Fleur DeLacour Weasley decided, for the first time, to let one of the Malfoy's social functions pass her by, much to the surprise of the entire family. It was common knowledge to all that the beautiful French, half-veela always made it to a point never to miss a social function in her entire life. "You know how that woman is when it comes to having babies again. I've heard that Bill wants to have another one and she flatly refused, telling him that she won't go through that again."

"Poor Bill," said Ginny as her baby gurgled in delight. "I don't see the fuss about it. Having a baby is a wonderful thing!"

Hermione shook her head. "Wait till Adrienne reaches her toddler years," she said, smiling. "Let's see if you still want to have babies after that."

"Couldn't agree with you more!" Grace and Jane chorused agreeably. 

At that, Ginny giggled as the ladies laughed when Adrienne decided to open her eyes for a second only to grant them one of her sweet, rare, baby smiles. "Oh and speaking of husbands, any news from Percy, Jane?" she asked, turning to Jane.

Jane smiled at her and nodded. "He sent me an owl informing me that he would be home before Christmas," she said, her eyes shining. Then she shook her head in disbelief. "Can you actually believe that Sirius Black decided to get married? He told me!"

"Really?" Hermione asked, suddenly perking up. She turned to Jane, her eyes wide as saucers. "You don't say!"

"Ask Ron," Ginny replied. "Pump him for information. I think he knows something."

"I think I'll just do that," said Hermione as she turned around and made her way outside to accomplish her new mission. "Do watch Nathan for me, will you? Thanks!" And with that, she was gone in a flourish. 

Grace chuckled. "Of all the pathetic excuses to be with Ron," she trailed, shaking her head. Then she turned serious. "Speaking of Nathan," she began suddenly. Ginny and the rest of the ladies all turned only to see little Nathan patiently standing by the crib as though glued to the floor, watching little Adrienne sleep. "I don't know, but the kid's sweet. He was practically standing there all night, just watching Adrienne, ever since they got here."

With that, Ginny smiled and made her way towards Harry's little son, who was gazing at the baby adoringly . She knelt down beside him and kissed him fondly on the cheek. "Her name is Adrienne," she whispered softly. Little Nathan turned to her and smiled sweetly. 

"Andyiane?" he asked, his green eyes, wide, his voice a little gibberish. The ladies gave a female sigh of delight.

Ginny laughed softly at the young boy's attempt to speak the name correctly. "Yes, Nathan, her name is Adrienne," she cooed. "Now you promise to be her friend, okay? You promise to take care of her and Sylvia when you grow up, all right?" 

Nathan nodded. "Andy?" he asked while turning his attentions back at her sleeping baby. He let one his tiny hands reach out and touch her. Then much to Ginny's delight, Adrienne opened her eyes, smiled and reached out as well, grabbing one of his fingers, squeezing it with all her might. Nathan let out a giggle as he let little Adrienne have her way.

==========

"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore," greeted Draco as he settled himself comfortably on a couch facing the fire, which was having an unsuccessful attempt at giving out the actual shape of the old professor's' head against its flames. 

"Ah, young Draco Malfoy," the hazy image repeated, his voice nevertheless clear. "I'm terribly sorry I couldn't come."

"That is quite all right, Professor, though I'd say Grandfather misses your presence very much," said Draco as his right hand instinctively went up to his temple as he automatically crossed his legs. "How are things going down there?"

"Oh, marvelous!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "Never been on a real vacation all my life!" At the happy tone of his voice, Draco assumed that the old man was, indeed, having the time of his life. "The sun's good for me. Lots of beaches and drinks and lemon sherbet--- how about young Virginia and the baby? I heard it was a lovely girl."

"They are quite fine thank you," said Draco, a proud smile lighting up his eyes. "Her name is Adrienne Hope, by the way. She's turning one this coming November."

"Ah, yes… what a lovely name…" his voice trailed momentarily. When Draco raised an inquiring eyebrow at the image, the old man cleared his throat. "I have finally found out what you've been asking about your heirlooms, Mr. Malfoy."

At that, Draco straightened up from his seat. "Yes?" he asked.

"However, I cannot exactly say if they are indeed genuine Magical Artifacts," continued on Dumbledore.

"But how could you explain the weird things—" Draco stopped and shook his head. "The rose pin Ginny gave me lets me feel what she was feeling. It lets me see where she is if I put all my heart into it. The serpent necklace too, from what I've heard from her, does the same." He stopped abruptly, looking quite thoughtful. "But there was this incident that it didn't work, you know and—"

"May I ask if the incident was an argument?" the old man inquired gently.

Draco looked at him. "Yes, it was," he replied quietly.

With that, old man smiled. "There you have it, young Draco," he replied. "The only explanation that I can give is that perhaps your heirlooms serve as a window for you to be able to feel each other. It worked before because, as you've said, you've put your heart into it, all of your being though how unaware you were. And you must consider it as a gift, a rare gift that you have to be thankful for. However, at that time of your argument, you're thoughts were being clouded with grief, possibly anger, doubt— am I getting close?" Dumbledore asked, his orange eye twinkling amidst the blaze all around him.

"Yes," murmured Draco thoughtfully, remembering all the doubts he had had back then. He had actually suspected Ginny running away with Potter, didn't he? 

"But then again, I'm not saying that you ignore this matter," supplied Dumbledore. "I firmly suggest that you talk to Professor Snape about this and have the heirlooms brought to him for further investigation."

That made Draco a little reluctant. He never left without the rose pin safely inside his pocket. He always took it whenever he went. "Yes, professor," he forced himself to say. "Thank you for all your help."

"Oh, the pleasure is mine Mr. Malfoy," said Dumbledore, smiling. "I assume your guests and relatives are already waiting for you?"

Draco nodded, standing up. "Yes, actually," he replied truthfully. The old man gave a jovial laugh.

"Then don't let me keep you, I have a whole glass of lemon shake, waiting to be imbibed, quite large enough to last me a lifetime. Cheerio!" And with that, Dumbledore's fiery image disappeared in a snap, leaving Draco there to contemplate about what he had just said.

After reaching a decision, he turned around and left for the family room.

==========

"I'm terribly sorry I'm late."

Everybody turned their heads towards the door to see Harry hurrying towards them. Vladimir Malfoy shook his head and made his way towards the young man to welcome him inside. 

"No, you were just in time," the vampire said jovially while shaking his hand. "Ginny and Draco went in late too, making us wretchedly hungry. Now that's everybody complete, we'll be staring dinner in a short while."

Harry frowned. "You mean, you haven't started dinner yet?" he asked. He gulped guiltily. Now, how in the world could he eat considering that he just had a wonderful dinner with Rebecca a while ago? "Uh, where's my son?" he asked the old man instead.

Vladimir gestured towards the little crib. "He has been standing there all night, watching little Adrienne like a hawk." 

And with that, the old man clapped him on the shoulder with his big hand good-naturedly and made his way towards the bunch of men. It was a sign of mild good will for the old man, but it was a hard knock against the shoulder for Harry that sent him stumbling forwards.

Harry was about to make his way towards the ladies to get his son when he felt someone watching him. He turned around only to see Draco who was about to enter the family room, his expresssion grave. The moment Draco saw the familiar new face inside the room, his silver eyes instantly turned wary. As a proper gesture, Harry made his way towards the other man, offering his hand. "Malfoy," he said with starchy politeness. He shook his hand rather crisply.

Draco nodded. "Potter," he acknowledged, handing him a glass of champagne in return, after quickly letting go of the other man's hand. Harry accepted it unemotionally. 

Then they stood there in momentary silence, their eyes not leaving a particular beautiful red-head among the crowd of people. She was laughing with the ladies and giving Nathan kisses and candies. And she never looked so pretty. She was practically glowing. Harry took a sip of his champagne first before finally opening his mouth. "Congratulations," he said quietly.

"Thank you," replied Draco automatically. Then he smirked at Harry's direction. "You might want to take your son's scrawny little hands off my daughter for a change, Potter," he began good-naturedly, seeing the obvious adoration plastered on Nathan's face when Ginny picked his daughter up against her arm. "I swear I could see him coming onto her."

With that, Harry turned to him with disgust. "Oh, for goodness sake, they're just babies!" he exclaimed. "Can't you for once think of something without malice?" 

"Don't you know the meaning of 'I'm just joking?'" asked Draco sardonically.

"You know how to joke around?" spat Harry sarcastically. "From what I know, Draco Malfoy doesn't joke around, he makes a fool of himself."

"Chalk one up, for you then," said Draco, actually commending him for the smart insult. That made Harry's eyes widen in surprise. Then he sighed tiredly, looking up at the ceiling only to see the delicate looking chandelier looming above them. 

"You're becoming lousy at this, did you know that?" he asked lamely as his eyes darted at the impressive painting collections hanging against the walls of the enormous and elegant sitting room. "Or are you just getting too old for this kind of thing?"

Draco snorted. "I'm just feeling so damn cheerful that nobody, not even the likes of your miserable self, can put a damper on my moods," he replied jovially. Just then, the two stopped abruptly when they saw Ginny making her way towards them, smiling prettily, Adrienne snug her arms.

Harry gulped as he finished his champagne, his eyes not leaving her. It was like déjà vu. He was having that same dazed look that he used to have whenever he would see Cho walking towards him, a smile on her lovely face. He was pretty sure that Draco too was feeling the same way since he heard his deep intake of fascinated breath. It was the kind of reaction where Draco wasn't sure if he was in a dream or not. He knew it because once, in his life, he had felt it too. When she reached them, a most peculiar feeling settled inside his chest only to drop onto his stomach. When she automatically took her rightful place beside her husband, he swallowed hard as the beginnings of subtle pain sliced within his heart.

"I'm so glad you came, Harry," she said, smiling up at him, quite oblivious of what was going on inside his mind and heart. Draco, without a word, decided to take Adrienne from her. For a moment there, the sight of Draco holding a baby against his arms and actually looking quite proud and happy about it distracted him.

Ginny cleared her throat to get his attention. 

Harry immediately turned his eyes back to her only to see the amused look she gave him. It was clear that she knew what he was thinking. He smiled back, ignoring the emotional ache. "Of course," he replied. "I wouldn't miss Narcissa's dinner party for the world." Then he fell silent. _"Not to mention the chance of seeing you."_

He was about to inquire after the health of her mother when suddenly Hammilton breezed inside the room, announcing dinner. A rustle of clothing and boots was heard as the crowd began to make their way towards the splendid dining hall, with Vladimir leading the way. Ginny smiled at him one last time as Draco offered his free arm and escorted her towards the dining hall.

"Where's Potter?" he hissed as they slowly followed the group, keeping a certain distance away from them. Then much to his pleasure, he heard Adrienne giggle against his arms. He chuckled and kissed his little daughter fondly on the cheek. Until now, he couldn't believe the extraordinary happiness this little miracle gave him. Ginny made him complete but having Adrienne made him fulfilled. _"For all the things I've done wrong, I must've done something right to deserve this, haven't I?"_ he thought skeptically, looking at Ginny then at Adrienne. When his daughter yawned adorably, the qualms immediately melted. 

"He went back for Nathan," said Ginny softly, looking at him with an adoring smile, a blissful intrusion to his thoughts. 

Draco's eyes narrowed with amusement at her direction. But nevertheless— he let out a rueful, contented sigh as he took his usual seat beside his grandfather with his wife at his left, the cradle in between them. He looked around only to see the happy faces of his guests before him, taking their respective seats as well, chatting merrily. A light smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He noticed Vladimir laughing, his mother smiling, looking more beautiful and striking than ever and Ginny looking lovelier every second. He heard the laughter all around him, a very distinct set of laughter so much different from what he was used to hearing before. It was a laughter that conveyed nothing but an odd combination of happiness and tranquility. Everybody was in good spirits. 

Then he remembered Ginny… The bickering, the endless fights… their first meeting, their first kiss… He almost laughed. It was an endless comedy of errors that came to a close with a not-so-perfect fairytale kind of ending. But then again, perfection was a dull thing, wasn't it? Impossible to have. It would just make life unbearably boring.

But who said that this was the end? 

It was only the beginning, right?

At that moment, he felt fulfilled, satisfied.

He had nothing more to ask for.

__

"Life," he thought as he felt his wife giving his hand a warm and reassuring squeeze under the table as the food was being served,_ "is definitely looking up."_

And with that last thought in mind, Draco Edward Malfoy felt his lips letting out a smile he had long ago forgotten. It was a rare, boyish smile, showing genuine pleasure and contentment.

  
****

The End 

  


Author's Notes: Woohoo!!! All done!!! All done! ::throws confetti around:: Thank you, thank you everybody for tirelessly reviewing and reviewing and reading and reading!!! Oh my god, I can't believe it's finally over!!! To tell you honestly, I don't know whether to feel sad or happy about this. ^_^ But anyway, there's more to come… **I'm still thinking of writing a sequel to this** but first, taking **VioletJersey's advice**, I'm going to take a break. I have to 'de-toxicate' my brain cells first before starting a new one. Thinking nothing but Draco and Ginny for almost seven months nearly drove me crazy ^_^ I have to condition my brain again. ::lol:: **The first chapter of the sequel would take me quite a while, that is, if I still have the urge to write** ^_^

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Adrienne Hope Malfoy was also from **VioletJersey**. I kind of liked the name… it's really catchy. I think that girl's having cute boy's names are cool. Thanks VioletJersey and to all the people who gave me their lovely suggestions! It was really a hard time deciding.

My thanks also go to ** Trinity ** for the wonderful e-mail. Hey, I've read you TNHPB assignment and I couldn't agree with you more! Really, I like your concept about the fire and ice... may I use it for future fics? 

I couldn't resist adding Sirius Black in this chapter! ::cackles:: I always thought him too sexy for his own good… heh ^_^… breaking hearts everywhere he went… now that's just me thinking. Although I think that Sirius Black is drop-dead sexy, I kinda like Remus better. I'm more on the quiet, intellectual type of guy. ^_~

Dang it! I'm gonna miss you guys! Thanks again for the all wonderful support you have given Serpent's Bride. ::sob:: I guess this is it. Oooohhh… I hope I'd be able to write a sequel!!! ^_^ Bye!


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